Versus 2: The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret
by SludgeMetal666
Summary: What's gonna happen when Bra and Goten have to keep their budding relationship a secret? (Complete!)
1. Begin the Begin

Versus 2: The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Begin the Begin--  
  
Bra couldn't help being a little jealous when Paris came to visit Goten's classroom on Monday morning. He told Bra that he had broken it off with Paris, yet the counselor visited his classroom after class anyway. Like now, for example. There they stood—Bra, Goten, and Paris—an eerie silence filling the room.  
  
Maybe there was something Bra had missed somehow. The entire night of the gala seemed like a dream to her. Goten had told Bra how he felt about her when she should have been the one to confess her feelings to him. She realized now that they wouldn't be where they were if he hadn't done that. And she never would have told him that she had feelings for him if he hadn't told her first. That upset her a little. She never had the nerve to tell him how she felt. He had to give her a reason to do it.  
  
And now, on top of all they had been through, they had to keep their feelings a secret from everyone they knew. So even though she and Goten made so much progress with their feelings for each other, it would be like it never happened. They would still have to pretend they had no special emotions for each other. At least for as long as they were around other people.  
  
Man, this sucked!!! And this smug, witless counselor was standing there waiting for her to leave so that she could be alone with Goten. It made her crazy to even see the two together. But she kept her poker face on.  
  
"Bra, you should probably go to your next class," Goten reminded her. "If you have a question, you can just ask me at our study session after school. Okay?"  
  
Yep. This was slowly going to kill her. But she would try her best to keep her cool in situations like these. They had to be as inconspicuous as possible. It took all of her self-discipline not to turn and place her fist ever so gently across the counselor's face. Instead, she smiled. "Okay."  
  
And so she left that place. Cold of heart and unaware of what might be happening between Red and the love of her life. She would just have to keep images of the two alone together out of her head. Besides, she already knew that Goten shared in her feelings. She had other things to think about now.  
  
After getting to school late this morning, Bra really hadn't had a chance to talk to Pan. So in her next class, she would question Pan to no end about the gala.  
  
When Bra got to her next class, Pan was already seated and was now yawning. History and science back-to-back was murder for poor Pan.  
  
"Well, Bra. What's the deal with you and Randall?" Pan asked. "Why wasn't he in class today?"  
  
Ah, Randall. Her date for the gala. The one she'd basically used and tossed aside. She felt really bad about the way she'd treated the poor guy. He was so nice to her the whole night and she was only using him as a cover-up for her feelings for Goten. It was a real shame too. If she wasn't so in love with Goten, Randall would have been an alright pick.  
  
"He transferred. That's why he wasn't in class. So there is no 'me and Randall'," Bra said plainly.  
  
"Oh. Sorry to hear that. You two made an interesting couple," Pan told her.  
  
Bra wondered what her friend meant by using the word interesting. It wasn't what most people said about couples. The couple was usually described as perfect, cute or hideous. Maybe even odd. But interesting was the description that Pan had picked.  
  
"Speaking of interesting couples, you and my brother went AWOL for a while at the fashion show. What was up with that?" Bra questioned.  
  
"Oh, that. Well, you remember I was telling you about having a little fun at the fashion show? Well, I set up some fireworks all around the perimeter of the garden center. Then when the time was right, I went out to set them off. Lucky me, I had a date that night. So I asked him if he wanted to help me pull off my little prank. Trunks was more than happy to do it."  
  
Pan was blushing. It was easy to see. And Bra wasn't gonna hold back. "Well, what's with the red?" Bra asked, pointing at Pan's face.  
  
Pan swatted Bra's hand away. "It's nothing. You know how I am when it comes to the subject of relationships."  
  
Bra thought for a moment. It was true. If Bra brought up any potential relationship for Pan, she would break into a blushing extravaganza. It just so happened that the only male Bra usually brought up in Pan's presence was her brother. To be a socialite tomboy, she sure was shy when it came to guys.  
  
"So, you're not interested in my brother?" Bra asked.  
  
"Of course not. That's sick. We're like family," Pan told her.  
  
Even though Pan could be considered the Great Deceiver, Bra had learned to trust MOST of the things that Pan said. Then again, she WAS considered the Great Deceiver, so there was no telling whether what she said was truth or fiction.  
  
"Like how you and my uncle are," Pan continued.  
  
It may as well have been a blow to the chest. Unrelenting. Bra felt her heart sink 100 fathoms.  
  
"Well, not exactly like how you and Goten are. You two are weird," Pan added. "It's like he's the only person in the world who has some kind of control over you. And that's the difference between you and me. NOBODY controls me. I'm a wild-child." That stupid grin was inherited right from the Son side.  
  
Bra wanted to wipe that idiotic smile right off her face. How dare she suggest that someone had control over her? She was Bra. She was of noble blood. She was the daughter of the great Prince Vegeta. There was no one in existence that could control her....  
  
"What makes you think Goten has control over me?" Bra questioned. She probably should have let it be.  
  
"Well, it's just the way you are around him. You act differently. Like at the fashion show when I sent him in to find out what was wrong with you. Besides, I know you've got feelings for him," Pan explained.  
  
Bra's face reddened, but her expression remained the same. She hoped that Pan had somehow over the past couple of seconds gone color-blind.  
  
Pan smiled. "I knew it. I've known it all along. And he's weird with you too. Don't be fooled. Just because the males in my family are dunces doesn't mean I can't see what's right in front of me."  
  
Oh, crap! Was Pan really gonna put all this together so soon after the two had made their confessions?  
  
Bra started laughing. "Pan, you're so silly!" What could she say to make this girl think that she was wrong about the whole situation? "Goten and I may as well be brother and sister. And I don't know what twisted universe you're living in, but I'd never have those kinds of feelings for Trunks." All truths. She hadn't lied once. Now, the question was: Would Pan pick up her meaning? Or would she take to statement at face value?  
  
"Gross, Bra. You're the sickest person I know," Pan said, turning up her nose.  
  
Just then class began and Bra noticed that what Pan had said was a statement that could have been taken either way. But Pan seemed to have let the matter go. So the secret she and Goten shared was still safe...for the time being.  
  
--End Begin the Begin--  
  
--Welcome to the introduction of the sequel to Versus. I know it's been a while, but like I said, I was doing some very necessary computer changes (not to mention finals are here). I've also come across some very irritating problems with my equipment, so there's still gonna be some time between these episodes. I'll try to work on this story as often as I can. So please let me know what you think. If you hated it, say so. If you think it could use some work, tell me. If you want me to stop writing altogether because I suck at it, say that too. I don't mind.  
  
--I'm also gonna be working on Versus some more because someone was kind enough to tell me that I should think about making some more changes. So I'll let you know when that's done.  
  
--Thank you for reading this episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. Hope you enjoyed it.  
  
--Oh, yeah. I should probably include a disclaimer for at least this first episode.... 


	2. You

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--You--  
  
Stupid Pan with her stupid inability to give straight answers. It was bothering Bra that Pan hadn't just said that she believed Bra didn't have feelings for Goten. Nooooooooooo. She had to say something ambiguous like, 'You're the sickest person I know.' Sick?! SHE was sick?! PAN was the sick one.  
  
Bra was on her way to the library for her tutoring session. Alone with Goten in a tiny, almost soundproof room. She was really gonna be in for an interesting afternoon now. She entered the building and looked around the lobby for her teacher. He wasn't there. Maybe he was waiting for her in the study room they usually used. She went up the spiraling stairs to check. Still no sign of him. He was the one to remind her that they had to study today. So where could he be? Was he running late? If that were the case, it was a bad idea to keep Bra waiting. Being kept waiting was one of Bra's pet peeves.  
  
But she would have to wait. The one thing in the world she would willingly wait for was this man. So she sat in the seat he usually occupied when she came into the library. She looked over at the newspaper he would have picked up while he waited for Bra to arrive. And she sighed. Would he even show up today?  
  
The sound of the entrance opening got Bra's attention and she immediately looked up. There was Goten's smiling face. As he walked over to her, his dark eyes penetrated hers. She was lost in those deep, dark eyes of his. It was like she could see eternity in those eyes. She felt butterflies form in her stomach, but they weren't the bad kind.  
  
How long had they been there staring at each other? She hoped it wasn't too long. She didn't want to make a scene. What if someone they knew saw them like this? The whole situation was so ironic. It caused her, a person who took pride in not caring what others thought of her, to pay attention to what other people might think of her actions. Love was supposed to be blind. Love was supposed to mean not caring what other people thought. Love was supposed to be sung from the mountaintops. At least that was what she was always told as a child. All those little romance stories her mother read to her as a little girl. Living happily ever after once you'd found the one you love, and having them love you too. It was all a lie. It was a living hell when you had to keep secret a feeling so strong.  
  
Goten took Bra's hands and helped her to her feet. "Hey."  
  
"Hello," Bra said, her mind dismissing all the negative. How could she be pessimistic when the one she loved was standing before her, giving her that absolutely alluring look? She smiled.  
  
"You ready to get some studying done?" Goten asked, letting her go.  
  
"Lead the way," Bra replied, trying her best not to bombard him with physical displays of affection.  
  
The two ascended the spiral stairs and entered the first study room they came to. It was their usual room. They were the same two people. But there was now another temptation involved.  
  
Bra took a deep breath. What was next now that they were alone? She stood in the doorway looking at the floor. Her mind had to see reason where her body would see otherwise.  
  
"Um, Bra. Doorway," Goten reminded her. "Come on in."  
  
Oh yeah. That. Bra stepped in and closed the door. She could feel herself becoming nervous. Why was she nervous? There was no discipline that she couldn't handle. She could fight. She was a wiz at school (except in history). Her social life had finally gone the way she wanted. Yet she was unnerved being alone with Goten.  
  
"You're free to sit down," Goten told her. He gently took her hand and pulled her in front of the chair she was supposed to sit in. "You're shaking. Is something wrong?"  
  
Bra kept looking at the floor. "No." She sat in her chair. Return of the timid flower. She hated being so shy when it came to him.  
  
"Hey," Goten said, moving her short hair out of her eyes. "Loosen up or you're gonna explode over there."  
  
Bra laughed a little.  
  
"That's what I like to see," Goten said. "Now, what's bothering you?"  
  
He'd touched her cheek and it sent an electric shock down her spine. Being touched would take some getting used to. No one was ever brave enough to touch her. "I was just thinking.... I mean...we're alone together.... And a lot of people have used these rooms in the past for certain...activities."  
  
"I'm sorry?" Goten said.  
  
"Well, that's what they use these rooms for. That's all I was saying," Bra said quietly.  
  
Goten gave her a confused look. "I don't follow."  
  
There was no way this guy could be this innocent. He was 24 years old, for the love of Pete. He had to know about things like this. It made her wonder if he'd ever even been with a girl before.  
  
Bra blinked blankly. How could she break it down into something he could comprehend? "Are we gonna have sex?" Oops! She'd said that out loud, hadn't she? She blushed a deep shade of red.  
  
"Wow...." Goten was finally enlightened. "You think that's why we're here? I thought we were just here to study."  
  
A sigh of relief came from Bra. Surely any other guy would have taken advantage of this situation. Hell, SHE was even thinking of taking advantage of this situation. Goten was turning out to be a real gentleman. Or a real dufus.  
  
"Right. Study," Bra said with a smile.  
  
He opened his Teacher's Edition and began his lesson on Chapter 3.  
  
- & - & - & -  
  
--after studying--  
  
She hadn't paid attention to his ramblings about whatever it was he was talking about. She cared nothing for history. She only watched his mouth move and fantasized about kissing it. They hadn't kissed since the night of the confessions at the gala. Maybe he had no interest in kissing her. Maybe he was waiting for her to kiss him.  
  
She looked over at Goten, who was drawing a small map. He was trying to show her something, but she hadn't been listening, so she didn't know what it was.  
  
"As you already know, the coldest part of Russia is this part here. Soldiers from other countries weren't used to the bitterly cold weather there, so they usually died before they could finish their invasion," she heard Goten blathering on.  
  
Hmmmmm. She thought he was finished with their lesson.  
  
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" Goten asked her.  
  
"Honestly, no," Bra said. She wasn't going to lie to this man. What would she do that for? "I'll never appreciate history."  
  
"Oh, come on. You just have to find something you like about it," Goten told her. "I'm sure if you paid attention more, you'd really enjoy some parts of it."  
  
Bra shook her head. There was nothing about history that she could possibly enjoy. She never tried to enjoy it before. Why start now? She just gave Goten a doubtful look.  
  
"Okay then. Think about this for a second. Your dad always used to tell you stories about when he first came to Earth and the time he spent on Vegeta, right?" Goten recalled.  
  
Bra gave a nod.  
  
"Well, that's history," Goten said.  
  
How stupid did Goten think she was? She knew what history was. She cocked her head to the side and gave him an I-know-that look.  
  
Goten smiled. "A few years ago that might have shocked you." He just looked at her.  
  
"I'm not a little girl anymore, you know," Bra told him.  
  
"That's pretty obvious," Goten said.  
  
He took her hand and looked into her eyes. Bra could already see that this would be her biggest weakness with him. Those eyes. She felt as if she might suffocate under his gaze. There was something in his eyes that she had always admired. Even during their childhood, it was there. It's a certain fire to which she found herself attracted.  
  
Goten interrupted her thoughts. "And now it's time to get down to some real business."  
  
Oh, boy. Here it comes. She wasn't quite sure what he was talking about, but it made her very nervous to hear him say it. And seeing how they were alone together, it could only mean one thing....  
  
"Let's go spar," Goten said, hopping to his feet. He gathered his things. "What? Aren't you coming?"  
  
Bra just sat there, astounded. Goten truly was just a simple kinda guy. She'd known it from the beginning. She wasn't sure why she thought things would suddenly change. She smiled. It was this very simplicity that she had grown to know and love about the big lug. There would be plenty of time for other things. All she had to concentrate on now was spending time with the man she loved without worrying about emotions being confused. She finally stood to leave.  
  
"Oh, and Bra?" Goten whispered. "I didn't tell you what I told you at the gala just so I could have sex with you. I want us to take our time with this. And when the time is right, maybe we can move to the next step. ONLY when the time is right. Okay?" He took one of her hands and kissed it.  
  
Bra looked surprised. So he wasn't as naive as she thought. Maybe he just pretended not to know what she was talking about so that she wouldn't feel uncomfortable throughout the study session. Whatever the case, it made Bra smile. Surely she would never find another man like him. "Okay."  
  
--End You--  
  
--Okay, so that episode wasn't the greatest. Give it a little time to get revved up and ready to move. Because once it starts going, I have a feeling that it's gonna start making less and less sense.  
  
--Thanks for reading this episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. And thanks for the reviews. Please keep them coming. Let me know what you liked and what you didn't like. I appreciate constructive criticism. 


	3. The Situation Is So Strange It’s a TV Sh...

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--The Situation Is So Strange; It's a TV Show--  
  
Bra wasn't sure whether she'd been treated like a lady or whether she'd been treated like a child after the whole library affair. And for some reason, she was beginning to think the latter was true. Goten still thought of her as a little girl. That HAD to be it. She had to find a way to prove to him that she wasn't the little girl he remembered.  
  
The two were silent on their flight to Bra's home. She looked over at Goten and saw that he too was in deep contemplation over something. She wondered what it could be.  
  
When they entered Capsule Corp, there was bickering going on between the heads of the household.  
  
"I hate it when you go into my lab just like you hate it when I go into your precious gravitron, you insensitive imbecile!!" Bulma shouted.  
  
"I can go anywhere I please, woman! Who's going to stop me?" Vegeta bellowed back.  
  
"Oh, believe me. You CAN be stopped. Especially if you break another one of my inventions!! It took months to get the calibrations set and you go in and throw a temper tantrum!" Bulma yelled.  
  
"Hi," Goten said from the doorway. Both he and Bra had stopped there.  
  
"Goten, Bra, hello," Bulma said in a sugary sweet tone. "We were just having a discussion. Come in."  
  
Her mother had a way of switching moods quickly.  
  
Her father, however, did not.  
  
"And I told YOU never to come here again!!" Vegeta roared at Goten.  
  
Goten raised his eyebrows. "That's no way to treat a guest."  
  
Bra could only smile. A normal man would have tucked his tail between his legs and scurried out of the house. It was always impressive to see Goten stand up to her father.  
  
Vegeta was obviously furious and was about to show Goten just how much he disliked his presence until Bulma stepped in. She put her hand on his arm. "Vegeta, could you just—?" Bulma began.  
  
He looked at his wife, then rolled his eyes. He gave Goten one last malevolent look and left the room.  
  
What power did her mother possess in order to have such an affect on the prince of all Saiyans?  
  
"It's getting more and more dangerous for you to even come over," Bulma said to Goten with a bit of a laugh.  
  
Goten gave Bulma a smile. "And yet, despite all the danger, here I am. How've you been Mrs. B?" He went over and plopped down on the sofa.  
  
"I'd be fine if Vegetables-For-Brains hadn't completely destroyed my latest invention. All those months of hard work," Bulma sighed.  
  
Bra decided to sneak to her room while they were talking. She really did feel bad for her mother. Why would her father go into the lab and start destroying things? It didn't make sense.  
  
She packed her training outfit into her backpack instead of putting it on. She could change at Goten and Trunks' place. When she went back into the living room she saw her father standing there with a small machine in his hand.  
  
Bulma looked astounded to see the piece of equipment.  
  
"Maybe you'll learn not to leave the window open in your lab so cats don't get in and start tearing up the place," Vegeta said. He set the apparatus on the coffee table.  
  
Tears came to Bulma's eyes. "I can't believe it. It's okay. But I didn't see it anywhere." She gave him a questioning look.  
  
Vegeta decided to make a wordless exit, leaving everyone in the room in a state of confusion.  
  
Goten stood. "Are you ready?" he asked Bra.  
  
Bra nodded.  
  
"Ready? Where are you going?" Bulma asked.  
  
Bra would have to remember to come up with a lie BEFORE she got home so that Goten could help her out a little. "I was gonna go visit Trunks for a while. You know we rarely see each other."  
  
"You just saw him this weekend," Bulma said. "Are you lying to me? I know you don't like your brother that much."  
  
Bra should have known her mother wouldn't fall for that one.  
  
"Come on. I was your age once. You think I don't know all the tricks?" Bulma continued. "You're going to meet a boy, aren't you?"  
  
Bra blushed. "MOM!"  
  
Goten scratched the back of his head.  
  
"I knew it! Oh, my little girl is finally growing up," Bulma said. "Don't worry. I won't tell your dad. Is it the boy we met at the gala?"  
  
"Mom, it's not what you think," Bra told her.  
  
"You don't wanna tell me, huh? It's okay," Bulma said. "I'm just glad you're happy now. Bring him by sometime." With that, she picked up the device Vegeta brought to her and headed to her lab.  
  
Both Bra and Goten stood there confused. They looked at each other.  
  
- & - & - & -  
  
--off to Trunks and Goten's apartment--  
  
As the two of them flew toward Goten's place, Bra finally decided to speak. "My parents are a little weird, don't you think?"  
  
"Could be weirder," Goten replied. "They could be like MY parents."  
  
Bra didn't think Goten's parents were that strange. But your own parents were always stranger than anyone else's parents to you. She wouldn't argue the point.  
  
"Why don't you want your mom to know that you train?" Goten asked.  
  
"She never wanted me to be a fighter like the rest of the family. I guess she wanted to be a little closer to me since I'm her daughter. Or something weird like that. We all see how that worked out," Bra told him.  
  
"But she must notice that you're into fighting," Goten said.  
  
"Well, not really. When I'm at home, I usually just bury myself in my music or video games. And sometimes I build little gadgets or right basic programs," Bra explained.  
  
"Wow. You still do that?" Goten asked. "I mean, I thought you stopped building things. You told me you wouldn't be doing it for very long. Of course, that was when you were—I don't know—eight?"  
  
Bra smiled. "Yeah. Guess old habits never go away." She knew that for a fact. Her love for games never left. Her love for music never left. Her love for inventing never left. And her love for Goten never left.  
  
--End The Situation Is So Strange; It's a TV Show--  
  
--The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret is on to the next phase. Thank you for reading it. Please let me know what you think. Sorry it's taking a while to get these episodes out. I still don't have the equipment I was trying to get in order to make my work more swift and efficient. Thank you for your patience. Sorry this part was so short.  
  
--I don't have much to say today. Guess I'm just not in a chatty mood. 


	4. A Momentary Lapse of Reason

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
-- A Momentary Lapse of Reason--  
  
When Goten opened the door to the apartment, a ratchet came hurtling at him and hit him in square in the forehead. "Ow."  
  
The assailant was, of course, Trunks. He stood at the doorway of his bedroom, laughing like a hyena.  
  
Bra put her hands on her hips and frowned. How could her brother do something like that to his best friend? Then again, that was just the way they were.  
  
"Okay. I'll admit. You owed me that one," Goten said to his roommate. "I wanna call a truce. This is getting dangerous."  
  
"You got that because you broke our LAST truce. Remember?" Trunks told him.  
  
Goten thought for a minute, then grinned and scratched his head. "Oh, yeah."  
  
"Is this what you two do when I'm not around?" Bra asked.  
  
"Bra. What an unexpected surprise," Trunks said, finally noticing she was there.  
  
Bra smiled falsely at him. She and her brother never really got along in the past. And much how she suspected Goten felt, Trunks also thought of her as a little girl. Of course, she was his little sister. That was only natural. But as for Goten....  
  
"So, I guess you're here because you're sparring with Goten today?" Trunks inquired.  
  
Goten answered for her. "That's right. I'd better go get changed." He left the room.  
  
"You're sparring in that?" Trunks asked, looking at Bra's outfit. Trunks got his curiosity from his mother. But he did have a point.  
  
Bra wore a short orange spaghetti-strap top, a long white form- fitting skirt and white and orange sandals. "Of course not, Einstein. My training uniform is in my backpack. Idiot."  
  
"Uh huh. Looks like one of those high-schooler tricks. Sneaking out of the house, are we?" Trunks asked. "I remember those days. Wait. You're not doing drugs, are you?"  
  
Bra looked at Trunks strangely. "No." She looked Trunks up and down. "I'm just going out to spar. No underlying scheme." Bra thought for a second. "Drugs?"  
  
"Hey, I just had to make sure," Trunks said. He cleared his throat. "Anyway, how are things going at home?"  
  
Funny. He referred to her home as home. He had his own place now. Shouldn't THIS be his home? She couldn't understand it. "Same old, same old. Mom and Dad argue constantly. Mom stays in the lab. Dad's always training." She decided that this was a good opportunity to talk to Trunks about the gala. She smiled deviously. "By the way, you and Pan made a cute couple this weekend."  
  
"Thanks. Hey, you and that guy made an interesting couple too. What was his name? Raymond?" Trunks said.  
  
"Randall," Bra said. There was that 'interesting' thing again. What was up with that?  
  
Just then, Goten reentered the room in his usual training attire. "Bra, you're not dressed yet."  
  
Bra had been thrown off again. Not only had Trunks changed the subject on her, but Goten had picked a peak time to come back into the room. She'd never find out anything like this. "Oh, sorry. I was just talking to Trunks about the gala. And where he and Pan disappeared to." She hoped that she could get Goten interested in asking about it. She went to their bathroom and started changing clothes.  
  
"Where DID you and Pan disappear to?" Goten asked Trunks.  
  
Wow. The walls in this luxurious place were paper-thin. At least for a Saiyan they were. She could hear everything they said.  
  
"Where do you think those fireworks came from during the fashion show?" Trunks said. "It was Pan's idea. She said that 'those buttoned- down tightwads needed to loosen up'. Her words."  
  
"That's Pan for you," Goten laughed.  
  
Aw. He was ending it with that? She'd just have to interrogate her brother when she had more time. She came out of the bathroom in her usual red training uniform.  
  
"We're sparring in the same place, right?" Bra asked.  
  
"Yep. And I'm really going all out this time," Goten told her. "Last time, you got lucky. I let my guard down."  
  
Bra smirked. "We'll see."  
  
"That's not very fair, you know. You two always go off and train together. Other people might like to be invited too," Trunks suggested.  
  
"Did you wanna come?" Goten asked.  
  
Goten, the ever-polite nice-guy. Unfortunately, he forgot that when you're going somewhere with someone, you're supposed to ask the person you're going with if it was okay to invite someone else. It was the proper thing to do.  
  
Trunks waved them away absently. "Nah. I've got a lot of work here. Maybe next time."  
  
Bra let out a mental sigh of relief. She didn't want her brother to join them.  
  
"Oh, come on. When was the last time you got in some good training?" Goten said.  
  
GOTEN!!! Why was he pressing the matter when Trunks clearly didn't want to come with them? Sometimes Bra just wanted to get a good stranglehold on Goten. She'd just have to take it out on him in training.  
  
"Like I said, maybe next time," Trunks responded. "Maybe tomorrow. Are you two sparring then?"  
  
"Yeah. Tomorrow's fine," Bra intruded. "Come on, Goten." She opened the door and took off toward the barren wasteland they sparred in last week.  
  
Goten immediately followed. "Hey! Slow down! What's your hurry?"  
  
Bra lowered her speed and let Goten catch up with her.  
  
"What's up?" Goten asked.  
  
She'd had it with trying to hide her feelings all the time. She'd had enough of all the secrecy. She wanted to express her feelings openly for once. "I just...wanna spend some time alone with you. That's all."  
  
That really was all she wanted. But they'd never even come to the conclusion that they were indeed a couple. Maybe she was jumping the gun on this one. When she thought about it, she wasn't the one who had it the roughest. It was Goten who had it bad. She would have to look at the facts:  
  
1) She was a 16-year-old girl. Prison sentence.  
  
2) She was his student. Fired.  
  
3) Her father wanted any excuse to kill him and this would be perfect. Death.  
  
She watched Goten's expression as they both soared over the treetops. And he smiled. Not the silly Son smile. It was a different kind of smile.  
  
He looked at Bra. "Then we should use the little time we have together wisely."  
  
Before Bra could realize what was happening, Goten had tackled her in mid-air and they went plummeting into the forest below.  
  
--End A Momentary Lapse of Reason--  
  
--Hey there. Remember me? Sorry it took so long to get this episode out. And I'm sorry it's so...low-quality. I haven't been producing good work lately. Not like the work I did before was any good. Thanks for reading it anyway. And it was short. Sorry about that too.  
  
--So, just send in your complaints. Let me know what you think. I'll try to do better next time. Really I will. I'll TRY.  
  
--Oh, yeah. Thanks for the past reviews. It helps to hear from you guys. 


	5. Sweetness Follows

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Sweetness Follows--  
  
Before Bra and Goten were slammed down on the forest floor, Goten came to a dead halt about a foot from the ground. The speed at which they were traveling combined with the sudden stop made Bra slightly dizzy, so when they landed softly on the ground, she had to cling to Goten for support. She had her arms around him and her face buried in his chest, hoping it would make the spinning sensation go away. But that wasn't the only irregular sensation she had. Every part of her body tingled with a certain excitement. And she felt like she had a bad case of caffeine jitters.  
  
Goten had his arms around her as well. And when she finally looked up at him, she saw a strange look in his eyes. Those gorgeous dark eyes were trying to tell her something. But what? Just as Bra was about to speak, Goten kissed her. The gentle action soothed her worries and she was lost in a world where only he and she existed. Time and space were irrelevant. As each tongue caressed the other, Bra found her hands in Goten's hair, grasping it tightly. But he didn't seem to mind.  
  
Their passive kiss steadily escalated into an aggressive Battle of the Tongues. Bra's breathing, she noticed, had become heavier, a little staggered. And so had Goten's. He slowly traced the middle of her back with his fingers from the nape of her neck to the base of her spine.  
  
Bra then gasped and backed away from Goten. What was that feeling she just got? It was something she'd never really felt before. She'd felt much smaller versions of it whenever she was around Goten, but the feeling she got just now had amplified at least 200 fold. She shuddered slightly.  
  
"What's wrong?" Goten asked.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing's wrong," Bra said. She was still breathing pretty hard.  
  
"Did I do something wrong?" Goten questioned.  
  
HAD he done something wrong? She couldn't be too sure. She was at a loss for words. These were feelings she'd never experienced before. How could a person like her, a young lady who claimed to have a handle on almost anything someone could send at her, not understand her own body? Sure, she'd heard about sex at school and from her mother. But no one explained THIS stuff. There was no book that could prepare her for whatever this was.  
  
Goten leaned against a nearby tree, folded his arms across his chest, and looked at her. "You know, if you're not comfortable with this, you can tell me."  
  
This must be so frustrating for him. He had the option of being with a woman he could most certainly easily bed, yet here he was with her. A young girl with zero sexual experience.  
  
"I'm sorry, Goten. I'm just not ready," Bra told him.  
  
Goten laughed.  
  
What was so funny? He was really beginning to anger her. She did NOT like to be laughed at. "What?" she asked angrily.  
  
"I'll bet I know what you're thinking," Goten said.  
  
Bra frowned. That was the last thing she needed. For him to be a mind-reader. Why couldn't he magically see into her thoughts before? Why couldn't he see that she was in love with him all this time?  
  
"Is sex the only thing you think about?" Goten asked. That same smile was on his face.  
  
Bra's mouth dropped open. She was speechless once again. It really was all she thought about lately. But why did he find that so funny? What else was she supposed to think about when she was in the presence of the sexiest man alive? She then smiled to herself.  
  
"I just wanna be close to you," Goten said.  
  
"I feel like we've had this conversation before," Bra pointed out, staring at the ground.  
  
He walked over to her and took her hands. "Hey, let's go out on a date. This weekend. What do you think?"  
  
She looked up at him and saw that familiar kindness in his eyes. "I'd like that," Bra answered. She was finally going out on her first date. She'd never looked so forward to the weekend.  
  
--End Sweetness Follows--  
  
--Okay. I said the last chapters were short, but this is the shortest chapter I've done since the beginning of the first series. Sorry it was so short. Hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.  
  
--The Rant: Is there something wrong with Goten? He's like no guy I'VE ever seen. If anyone has a theory about what's going on with him, I'd like to hear it.  
  
--And The Rave: Bra. She's been nuts ever since the beginning of Versus. Sure, a teenage girl's gonna have emotional issues, but this girl takes the cake.  
  
--Thank you for reading this installment of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. And thank you for the reviews. Please stay tuned. There's no telling what's gonna happen next. 


	6. Part 6: Glimpses of the Past

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Part 6: Glimpses of the Past--  
  
ChiChi, Goku and Goten arrived at the hospital 10 minutes after Bulma had made the frantic phone call. They all ran inside when they heard Bulma wailing from the parking lot. When they got inside, a wide-eyed Vegeta greeted them by looking at them all. Little nine-year-old Trunks was right behind him.  
  
"I thought the baby wasn't due for another two weeks!!" Vegeta said. He glanced at his son. "HE was here at the right time!!"  
  
"Calm down, Vegeta," ChiChi told him. "It's okay. Sometimes children are born before their due dates. Some even after."  
  
The eight-year-old Goten looked very confused. He looked at Trunks, who looked back at him. They decided that it was best for them to go to the waiting area.  
  
Another yell came from one of the rooms.  
  
"Say, why aren't you in there with her, Vegeta?" Goku asked.  
  
Vegeta's expression became one of irritation. "Are you out of your mind?" he questioned calmly.  
  
Goku smiled. "Well, I was there when my kids were born."  
  
ChiChi frowned. "No, you weren't."  
  
"Are you sure?" Goku asked.  
  
ChiChi just shook her head.  
  
Vegeta folded his arms across his chest.  
  
Krillin burst into the hospital holding six-year-old Marron's hand. "Goku, is Bulma okay? How's the baby?"  
  
"Hi, Krillin! We haven't heard any screaming for a while, so she'd either finished having it or she's killed the doctors who were telling her to push," Goku said.  
  
"Where's 18, Krillin?" ChiChi asked.  
  
Krillin picked up Marron and held her in his arms. "She had some business. I don't think she's coming."  
  
Marron pointed to the waiting area. "Goten!" She giggled wildly.  
  
"Yes, go play with Goten and Trunks," Krillin said. He put the little girl on the floor and she scurried off to the waiting area with her arms straight out to the sides.  
  
As Marron left, the doctor came over to the group of adults. "Good afternoon, all," he greeted cheerily. He looked at the clipboard he was carrying. "I'm guessing that a man named Vegeta is the father." He looked straight at Vegeta. "And she described you perfectly in the delivery room." He laughed stupidly.  
  
Vegeta scowled at the joker. "How are my woman and her baby?"  
  
"Both are fine. You can all come see for yourselves," the doctor replied.  
  
At that, they all stampeded down the hall to the delivery room Bulma was in, including the three youngsters.  
  
Soon after they quietly entered Bulma's room, Gohan and Videl came in. Videl cradled baby Pan in her arms.  
  
Marron, Trunks and Goten stood at the entrance. Marron looked very confused. Goten looked surprised. And Trunks looked pretty angry.  
  
All the adults stood a respectful distance away. Vegeta was the only one bold enough to step forward toward the sleeping mother. He tip-toed quietly closer to her and one of her eyes opened quickly, causing Vegeta to flinch a little.  
  
Bulma opened both her eyes, popped up out of the hospital bed and began to choke Vegeta. It all happened so fast that no one was able to respond. Vegeta's eyes almost bulged out of their sockets. Her strong grip had surprised him.  
  
Suddenly Bulma fell limp and Vegeta caught her before she hit the floor.  
  
"V—Vegeta...," Bulma muttered weakly. "Look at...the baby...."  
  
Vegeta laid her back on the bed and she fell asleep again.  
  
ChiChi, Goku, Krillin, Gohan and Videl all stood flabbergasted.  
  
Vegeta went over to the baby bed and everyone else slowly walked over to look in as well.  
  
The first face the baby woke up to was Vegeta's, which looked rather nervous. Amazingly, she giggled as she looked at him.  
  
Vegeta smirked. "Trunks, come see your little sister."  
  
Trunks frowned and walked over to them. He levitated up and looked in the bed.  
  
The baby stopped giggling when she laid eyes on Trunks. She scowled her tiny little face at him.  
  
Vegeta smiled at this. "Her name is Bra. And it looks like she takes after me.... Except that hair."  
  
Trunks frowned even more, then squinted his eyes at little Bra. He took his place by the door again and Bra went back to giggling with her father.  
  
"I think she likes you, Vegeta," Goku said, looking over into the bed.  
  
Once again, Bra stopped laughing, but this time she gave Goku a very serious look.  
  
"Ha! And as my bloodline should be, she doesn't like you. Go away," Vegeta told him.  
  
Goku did as he said. Krillin came up next and Bra scowled at him. When Gohan came over, she just yawned. Marron came over and Bra squinted her eyes at her. Videl and Pan looked in the bed. When she saw Videl, she just blinked, but when she looked at Pan, she smiled a little. ChiChi looked in and Bra looked surprised at first, then she started to cry. So ChiChi went far off in a corner. Bra cried even when Vegeta looked back in on her.  
  
"Look what you did, woman!" Vegeta said to ChiChi.  
  
Soon Bra had stopped crying and was giggling ecstatically. Everyone looked at the bed and saw Goten looking in. They then saw Bra's little hands reaching to touch Goten, who looked very confused.  
  
"Hello, Bra. I'm Goten," he said cheerfully.  
  
Bra giggled louder and Goten smiled.  
  
- & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & -  
  
--6 months later--  
  
"Trunks, Goku just brought Goten over," Bulma said through his door.  
  
Trunks opened the door and saw Bulma holding Bra. "Hmph! Tell him I'll be down soon." He closed his door.  
  
"Hm? That's the crankiest 9-year-old I've ever seen," Bulma said. She and Bra went down as the doorbell rang. "Coming!" she called. When she opened the door, Goku stood there smiling.  
  
"Hi!" he greeted. He was holding Goten's hand.  
  
"Goku, Goten, come in. Trunks said he'll be down soon," Bulma told them.  
  
They came in and Goku sat down while Goten stood under Bulma. "Can I hold her?" he asked, referring to Bra.  
  
Bulma thought for a minute. "Sit down first." After Goten took a seat, she cautiously handed her baby to him. "Careful, now."  
  
Goten smiled. "I'll be careful." He took the child into his arms. "Hello, Bra. Remember me?"  
  
Bra burst into wild laughter.  
  
"Hm. She hasn't done that since the last time you were here," Bulma said.  
  
"Yeah. I think she likes you, Goten," Goku stated.  
  
"Wow, you think so?" Goten asked, smiling brightly.  
  
Trunks came downstairs. "Ready to spar, Goten?" Then he saw Goten holding Bra and squinted his eyes at them.  
  
"Look, Trunks! I'm holding Bra!" Goten said.  
  
Bra looked at Trunks and scowled at him.  
  
Trunks scowled back at her.  
  
"Trunks, stop that!" Bulma spoke harshly.  
  
"Mom, she started it!" Trunks whined.  
  
"She's just a baby. She doesn't know any better," Bulma told him. She looked at Goku. "So, where's ChiChi?"  
  
"At home cooking and cleaning, as usual. I should head back before she chews me out for staying so long," Goku said. "Did you get your overnight things out of the car, Goten?"  
  
Goten was playing with Bra and hadn't heard Goku.  
  
"Probably not. I'll bring them in," Goku announced. He went out and brought the things inside. "Bye!"  
  
"Later, Goku," Bulma said. She looked at Goten playing with Bra and smiled.  
  
Trunks folded his arms across his chest and went outside.  
  
"I wish I had a little sister," Goten declared.  
  
"Hm. I wish Trunks felt the same way," Bulma said, staring at Goten and Bra.  
  
--later that night--  
  
Bulma had put Bra to bed almost an hour ago. Trunks and Goten were sitting in Trunks' room. Trunks wasn't saying much, but Goten was talking up a storm, as usual.  
  
"Bra's the greatest baby in the world. She's so cute. I wish I had a little sister. My dad and your mom said that she likes me since she always laughs around me," Goten told Trunks. He smiled. "If she was my sister, I could play with her all day."  
  
"You DID play with her all day!" Trunks said. He lay down on his bed.  
  
"Well, I could play with her everyday then," Goten corrected.  
  
"Ever since she was born, that's all you can talk about. I'm wondering if you come here to visit me or her," Trunks muttered.  
  
"Oh, Trunks. I come to visit you, of course," Goten told him. "She can't stay up late like us." He smiled.  
  
Trunks looked at the ceiling for a while and there was silence. "We didn't even get to spar today...," he finally said. He looked over at Goten and found that he was asleep. "Hmmmmmm...."  
  
- & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & - & -  
  
--5 years later--  
  
"Goten!!" Bra shouted in a most excited way. She ran up to him and hugged him around the waist. "I haven't seen you in such a long time."  
  
Goten smiled and put his hand on the girl's head. "It's only been a month. Mom's been making me study real hard and I couldn't come over."  
  
"Are you and my brother fighting today?" Bra asked.  
  
"Most likely."  
  
"I wanna watch!"  
  
Goten looked surprised. "That's odd. You never showed any interest in fighting before. Actually, every time I came to spar with Trunks, you would break down and cry. We could never get anything done."  
  
Bra put her head down. "I could fight if I wanted to."  
  
Trunks came outside and spotted Goten and Bra in the yard talking. "How does she know when he's coming? She beats me out here every time."  
  
Goten pretended to punch at Bra and she dodged it with ease.  
  
"You can do better than that, Goten!" Bra said, giggling.  
  
Goten looked surprised, then punched and kicked at her a little more, all of which Bra dodged, still smiling.  
  
"Hey. Maybe you SHOULD take up fighting. You're pretty fast," Goten informed.  
  
"You think so?" Bra asked.  
  
"Definitely!" Goten said. "I'd love to fight against someone like you!" He smiled.  
  
Trunks stepped up to them. "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Bra."  
  
Goten and Bra spun around to look at him. Bra folded her arms across her chest and looked under at her brother. "You just don't want me to train because you're scared I'll beat you one day."  
  
Trunks yawned. "Listen, shouldn't you be playing with little kids somewhere? You are five. Goten is thirteen. I am fourteen. You're too young to hang around us. Go tell Mom to call up Pan and Marron for you to play with." He shooed her away.  
  
Bra frowned and looked at Goten. He only looked confused and shrugged. So Bra sniffled and ran inside.  
  
Trunks smirked and looked at Goten. "Shall we?" He took his stance.  
  
"How could you think about fighting? You hurt your little sister's feelings!" Goten said, frowning at Trunks.  
  
"She needs to learn to play with kids her own age. And girls too. I don't think it's emotionally healthy for her to hang around with guys all her life," Trunks stated.  
  
Goten raised an eyebrow. "Oh.... I never thought about it that way...." He looked up at the sky.  
  
"TRUNKS!!!" Bulma called from the house. She stomped to the door, holding Bra's hand. "Let her play with you two if she wants to! She doesn't want to play with Marron and Pan!"  
  
Trunks gave his mother a surprised look. "Mooooooooooom!" he whined.  
  
Bra ran out to Goten and he kneeled down to hug her. "Goten!"  
  
"Hi, Bra!" Goten said. "You wanna go for a piggy-back ride?" He turned his back to her.  
  
Bra's eyes lit up. "WOW! I'd like that!" She jumped up and held on tight.  
  
Goten took off flying.  
  
"GOTEN!" Trunks called out. But it was too late. Goten and Bra were out of sight.  
  
Bulma looked surprised. "Oh, my...."  
  
Trunks glared at Bulma. "Hmph. Perfect." He headed inside.  
  
"Well, how was I supposed to know?" Bulma asked. She looked off into the distance.  
  
--somewhere out there--  
  
"There's this great place I wanna show you, Bra. It's so beautiful," Goten said as he flew across deserted lands.  
  
Bra clung to Goten's neck tightly. She squealed with excitement. "I can't wait! Hey, do you think you can teach me to fly too?"  
  
Goten laughed. "Sure! After we get to where we're going."  
  
After some time, they flew to a dense collection of trees in a heavily wooded area. They went between the branches and landed beside a crystal clear pond. In various places surrounding it, patches of different colored flowers grew along with a decently high level of grass. The colors were almost too rich. Like they were a part of a perfectly painted picture.  
  
"Oh, Goten," Bra whispered as if not to disturb the beauty of her surroundings. "It's gorgeous."  
  
Goten smiled at her and put her on the ground. "I told you it would be. I knew you'd like it. We have about the same taste."  
  
Bra frolicked around for a while, and then stared at the fish in the clear pond.  
  
"So, are you ready to learn to fly?" Goten asked, standing beside her.  
  
Bra looked up at him. "Yes, I am."  
  
--around 7:00 pm--  
  
The two had been away a total of about three hours. ChiChi and Goku had come over to lecture Goten about his irresponsible behavior. ChiChi had made it very clear that Goten's punishment was to stay at home until she felt he could visit with Trunks and Bra again.  
  
Bra apologized to Goten for getting him in trouble and Goten just smiled and shrugged it off.  
  
"See you next time, Bra and Trunks," Goten said.  
  
Trunks rolled his eyes at Goten.  
  
"I hope you had fun today, Bra," Goten whispered to her.  
  
"I always have fun when I'm with you, Goten," Bra stated. She waved good-bye to him.  
  
After the Sons left, Bra went over to her father. "Papa, Goten and I were talking. He said that I have what it takes to be a fighter. Will you train me?" She made sure that Bulma and Trunks had left the room and she spoke softly.  
  
Vegeta looked at her strangely. "I thought you hated everything to do with fighting."  
  
"But I WANT to fight," Bra said. She gave Vegeta her cutest look. "Please, Daddy? Pretty pleeeeeeeeeease?"  
  
Vegeta frowned and put his head down. "Okay. But you can't tell your mother. She doesn't like the idea of you fighting."  
  
"Thanks, Papa!!" Bra said, hugging him tight. Then she scurried off to her room.  
  
--End Part 6: Glimpses of the Past--  
  
--Okay. What do you think? I know it's nothing like any of the other parts I've done before. I know that everything else has basically been written from Bra's point-of-view, but I felt like doing a past episode today and it wouldn't have worked with the way I've been writing. So, sue me. (Um...please don't sue me.)  
  
--Thank you for past reviews. Thank you for reading this chapter. And thank you for putting up with my ridiculousness. Please stick around for future episodes. 


	7. Whiplash

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Whiplash--  
  
The two stood about ten yards away from each other in the wasteland they called their fighting ground. Bra could feel the wind whipping through her hair as she closed her eyes. All of her attention would have to be on the task at hand. Flawless execution of technique, proper application of strength, and concentrated utilization of ki-oriented attacks were her goals. She was a well-disciplined fighter and she would impress Goten by showing him just how great a fighter she was.  
  
She took a deep breath and studied her opponent. She was aware of his fighting style up to a certain point, but a lot could change in six years. She'd had a demonstration of what he could do the last time they'd gone out to spar. But for some reason, she didn't believe he had his heart into it. She would have to force him to show her his true power. And in order to do that, she would have to be relentless.  
  
She did a few stretches and when she looked up, she saw that Goten was watching her. "So, are we gonna do this or what?"  
  
Goten smiled sheepishly. "Yeah."  
  
He took his stance and so did Bra. Neither of them had transformed. Bra decided that this would be a strange match to say the least.  
  
Goten jumped straight up into the air and Bra had a hard time locating him due to the rays of the sun. "SOLAR FLARE!" she heard him yell, immediately followed by a bright burst of light.  
  
Bra was blinded and she closed her eyes to help restore her sight. She'd heard of the Solar Flare technique, but she didn't think anyone ever used it anymore. She suddenly felt Goten's energy very close to her. She would just have to fight with her eyes closed until her sight returned. She blocked a series of rapid punches Goten threw at her, then jetted backward and opened her eyes. A bright yellow film still hampered her sight a bit, but she was able to make out Goten's quickly charging figure.  
  
Then he vanished. She could feel him behind her now, but before she could react Goten kicked her up into the air. As soon as Bra stopped herself, Goten was already at her level and started in on her with a combination of punches and kicks. Her sight was finally coming back and she began blocking some of his attacks. She was slowly becoming angrier and angrier at herself for not being prepared for the strikes that got through.  
  
Bra growled and started dodging his assaults instead of blocking. Then when she saw an opening, she kicked him in his side and sent him a couple of feet away. The attack had stunned him a little, so Bra took the opportunity to zoom over to him, clasp her fists together and slam Goten back down to earth with all her might.  
  
Before Goten hit the ground, he phased out of sight and appeared levitating behind Bra. "KAAAAMEEEEHAAAAMEEEE—"  
  
Bra saw this as the perfect chance to test her power. She flew upward and turned toward Goten. "GALIC GUN!!!!" She propelled her ki downward at him.  
  
At the same time, Goten sent his attack up at her. "HAAAAAAAA!!!!!"  
  
The beams collided. The force at which they connected caused the atmosphere around them to become slightly distorted for a moment. If they weren't careful, they just might rip the sky apart. Goten's Kamehameha wave quickly began to overtake Bra's Galic Gun technique. Before his attack made contact she tried to block it. It was no use. The force at which the wave hit knocked Bra unconscious.  
  
--soon--  
  
Bra sat up with a start. The whole incident had been like a nightmare. Not only had she lost to Goten, but she also hadn't showed him what she could really do. During the sparring session Bra had been made a fool of. She clinched her fists and hit the bed. Bed?  
  
She looked around the room she was in. The place smelled like Goten. This was Goten's room. She hadn't been in here before. A single picture on his desk caught her attention. The picture was of her. She remembered it. It was during the summer right after school ended when Pan came up with the money-making scheme of a lifetime in order to convince their parents that they could be responsible adults. Bra had on a very short pink tank-top, short cut-off jean shorts and a pair of pink and black flip- flops. She was soaking wet and was holding the water hose in one hand pointing it straight at the camera. The other hand was on her hip, a half smile was on her face. How did Goten get this picture?  
  
The door opened and Goten stepped in. "Good. You weren't out very long. I knew you'd come around." He walked over and sat next to her. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"I'm fine." Bra frowned. "I can't believe I lost," she muttered. She'd put all of her concentration into the fight, yet she couldn't beat him. AND she got knocked out. It was humiliating.  
  
"Don't worry. We'll have a rematch tomorrow," Goten said with a smile. "Besides, I think you did great, considering I cheated."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Bra asked.  
  
"Well, I kinda turned into a Super Saiyan during my Kamehameha," Goten informed her.  
  
Bra squinted her eyes at him. "You fight dirty. I'll have to keep that in mind next time." She punched his arm playfully.  
  
"Owwwwwww," Goten whined. He laughed. "Hey, we'd better get you home. Your mom's probably worried."  
  
Bra stood. "Alright." She didn't really want to go. Even though she lost to him, just being in his presence made her feel stronger than anyone else in the universe. She looked over at the clock on Goten's desk. It was a little after 8:00. She looked at the photo again. "Um, Goten. Where did you get that picture of me?"  
  
"Trunks gave it to me," Goten said slowly. He headed out of the room.  
  
Trunks gave it to him? Why would he do that? Had Goten asked him for it? Or had her brother just felt that Goten should have it?  
  
--End Whiplash--  
  
--Welcome back to short-chapter land. This is your host, SludgeMetal666. Hope you enjoyed that segment of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret.  
  
--Once again, this is one of those times when reviews will really help. Let me know what you think. If there's something you think needs work or if there's something you really liked, let me know.  
  
--Thank you all for your past reviews and thank you for taking the time to read this rubbish. Have a fantabulous day!! 


	8. Business

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Business--  
  
So they weren't TECHNICALLY boyfriend and girlfriend. So what? The simple fact that they had expressed their feelings to one another meant much more than saying that you'd be someone's girlfriend or boyfriend. And that exchange of mutual feelings gave them a foundation to tread upon now. That was the most important thing. And if they'd have to keep this secret until Bra came of age, then so be it.  
  
After getting dressed for school, Bra looked at herself in the full- length mirror in her room. She usually kept her style of dress simple. Today she wore a black baby doll shirt, khaki capris and black strappy sandals. That was all fine and dandy. It was her hair she hated. She just pushed it behind her ears. Normally she wouldn't even look in the mirror twice as she got ready for school, but for some reason, today was different. She'd even put on a dab of lipstick.  
  
She was early for school this morning. So early, in fact, that none of the teachers had even arrived yet. Seeing how she was the daughter of the president of Capsule Corp., no one would reprimand her for sitting in the hallway in front of the lockers. No other student in his right mind would even WANT to sit in the hall anyway. She enjoyed the silence. She like the fact that she wouldn't be bothered by anyone—at least until class began. This time alone would give her a chance to meditate.  
  
Bra closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She would clear her mind. Things had been so hectic lately with her school life and her love life. A good moment of meditation would definitely help ease some of the tension she felt. She focused on nothing but her breaths. She could feel her lungs slowly filling with some much needed oxygen. She concentrated on the amount of air that she gradually exhaled. It had always been hard for her to meditate. Her mind was usually on other things. But now she would discipline herself and she would put everything she had into clearing her mind completely save one thing: her breathing.  
  
After only a few moments, Bra could hear a group of people approaching. Three of them. She opened her eyes, and then smirked at the sight. The captain of the football team and two of his lackeys approached her. She couldn't remember this clown's name. She didn't care to learn it either. She remembered hearing something about football camp during the first week of school. So. They were back already....  
  
"If it ain't Little Miss Capsule Corp.," the captain said. He was a tall guy, standing about 6'4", with blond straggly hair. He also had a reputation as a womanizer.  
  
His two compadres were much smarter than he was.  
  
"Hey, Kori, man. I don't think you wanna get started with her," the taller black-haired one said.  
  
The slightly shorter jock with long brown hair only nodded.  
  
Bra stood from her seat on the floor and folded her arms across her chest.  
  
"Oh, come on. Don't tell me that you guys really believe those stories. How could a pretty little thing like this lift a car?" the captain asked his buddies.  
  
Yep. The legend of her first year of high school still lived on. She'd wanted to give her classmates and everyone else at school a lasting impression. She was told that if she did something memorable during her first year, that image would last for the rest of her high school career. So she picked up one of the teachers cars. Few people witnessed it. Maybe 6 or 7. But the word got around. She didn't care whether people believed it or not. As long as people feared her. And for the most part, they did. It was in everyone's best interest not to mess with her. And this guy just wasn't getting it.  
  
"Come on, Kori. Let's just go," the tallest of them said.  
  
The one they called Kori grinned. "You guys'll believe anything."  
  
The big dumb jerk was about to make the mistake of trying to put his hand on her. She'd have no problem taking this guy out. And her intention was to injure him severely for 1) interrupting her meditation, 2) attempting to touch her, and 3) underestimating her. The latter was definitely the biggest offense. To underestimate the daughter of not only Vegeta, but of Bulma was an insult beyond insults. Needless to say, she had become angry.  
  
The instant that Bra had decided to act against the football playing moron, she saw a hand clamp down on Kori's wrist. She looked up to see that her 'rescuer' was none other than Goten. With little effort, he applied pressure to the captain's wrist, causing him to back away. Goten didn't let go.  
  
Bra hadn't noticed his arrival. As a matter of fact, some other students had begun to enter the building and some of them started gathering around.  
  
"Were you about to put your hands on her?" Goten asked rather sternly. He gave the jock an angry look.  
  
Now surely Goten knew that she could defend herself just fine in a situation like this. Why would he even bother with such a trivial matter? Bra raised her eyebrows.  
  
Before Kori could answer the question, Goten released his hand and stood close to him. It was funny. Goten was moderately tall, but the jock stood about a half a foot taller than he.  
  
"Keep your hands to yourself or I'll have you expelled," Goten informed.  
  
There was some muttering going on in the steadily growing flock of spectators.  
  
"Hey, Kori, if you get expelled, you won't be able to play football this year," the captain's tall friend said.  
  
The shorter one nodded vigorously.  
  
"I know that," Kori whispered. "I won't be made a fool of in my own school." He gave Goten what most people would call a threatening look. "You've just made a very dangerous enemy!" he said to Goten. Then he and his two cronies retreated, shoving past the onlookers.  
  
Goten shook his head. "Are you okay?" he asked Bra after the jock jerks left.  
  
Bra was speechless. There was really no reason for him to have defended her then, but he did. And it was for such a small offense. She began to wonder what would happen if something really bad were to happen to her.  
  
Just when she was about to speak, Pan appeared. "Hey, what's the big deal? All these people are crowded around like there's a fight or something."  
  
"It's nothing," Goten said to Pan. Then he addressed the group of observers. "Okay, everyone. Nothing to see here. It's almost time for class to begin."  
  
The crowd disbursed, whispering and muttering amongst each other.  
  
Pan and Bra stood by the lockers and watched everyone leave.  
  
"That means you and you. Get to class," Goten said playfully.  
  
Bra smiled and went to her first class, leaving Goten and Pan in the hall alone. That probably wasn't the best thing to do. Oh, well. What could possibly happen? Goten wouldn't tell her anything....  
  
She took her history book out and stared out of her usual window. She smiled to herself. Today truly would prove to be an interesting day.  
  
She thought for a moment, and then frowned. Pan and Goten had been out in the hall for an awfully long time.  
  
Knowing Pan, she was trying to find some cleaver way to interrogate Goten. That girl had a way with words.  
  
Sure, Goten was smart enough, when he needed to be, but there were certain things he simply could not grasp.  
  
And Pan had a way of making people say the things they did not want to say.  
  
--End Business--  
  
--I know. I know. It's been 10,000 years since I last updated. But I honestly have had a lot of things going on lately. I'm so so so so so so soooooooooo sorry. Please forgive me. Please! PLEASE!!!!!!  
  
--Anyway, I got the idea for this chapter from one of my faithful reviewers. I just changed some things around a bit. As you can tell I didn't change much. Thanks for the suggestion.  
  
--So, tell me what you guys think. If you liked it, let me know. If you didn't like it, let me know that too. And if you didn't like it, please let me know why. It's the only way I can improve.  
  
--I'm gonna try to update as soon as I can. I know it's aggravating to have to wait, but I'm gonna try my best. Thanks for reading this episode and thank you for all the past reviews. 


	9. I Think You Already Know How Far I’d Go ...

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--I Think You Already Know How Far I'd Go Not to Say--  
  
Pan entered the classroom and sat in her usual seat behind Bra. "I don't care what anybody says. That was just weird."  
  
Bra rolled her eyes. To what was Pan referring? She always left her statements so vague and generalized. That could mean anything. So maybe she should ask this time. "What was weird?" In a way she was almost afraid to ask. What if Goten had said something to her?  
  
"Well, our counselor's out there talking to Uncle Goten," Pan began.  
  
Bra's eye twitched. She was glad she hadn't turned toward Pan to talk to her because her friend would have seen the contempt written on her face. That woman never gave up. The red-headed home-wrecker.  
  
"She asks him out. And he says no," Pan continued. "So why would he say no to her? I think something's up.... Bra?"  
  
Bra turned to her with the most somber look she could muster.  
  
"Do you think my uncle's gay?" Pan asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Bra's eyes bulged and her mouth dropped open.  
  
"I mean, she's a nice enough lady. And she's pretty," Pan reasoned. "So, I think he's either gay or he's up to something."  
  
"Maybe he just doesn't like her," Bra said. She thought for a moment. This just might be another one of Pan's little schemes to get her to talk. Her friend was always coming up with something new. She would out-smart Pan this time. All Bra had to do was tell Goten to start dating that idiot counselor. That would shut Pan up. HA!! She was a genius.  
  
"And then there's you," Pan continued. "I've heard how guys talk about you. They'd give anything just to have a chance with you. And he treats you like a sister?" She gave Bra a strange look. "Does that sound 'straight' to you?"  
  
Bra was awestruck. She tried not to let it show, but she was truly without words on that one.  
  
"Don't get me wrong. I know my uncle's a good guy, but there is something seriously wrong with him if he's not jumping at our counselor or you or any of the other girls in this class that ogle him constantly...," Pan preached.  
  
Bra began to lose track of what all Pan was saying. Pan said so much in such a short amount of time, it was sometimes hard to keep up. She just stared blankly at her.  
  
Goten finally entered the classroom and began their lesson.  
  
--after class--  
  
Bra was gonna stick around this time for sure. She sat in her desk and watched as Goten performed his usual task of erasing the blackboard. She was always fascinated by the way he moved. How the muscles in his back flexed with each stroke....  
  
"Hey, Bra," Pan interrupted, gathering her books. "Are you coming?"  
  
Bra snapped out of her daze. She was losing control of herself again. That wasn't a good idea when the ever-wary Pan was present. "Yeah. I'll catch up with you in our next class."  
  
Pan gave Bra a strange look. "You know, you're always hanging around after class."  
  
Was Pan calling her out here and now? Bra only looked at her.  
  
"We've got a lot to talk about," Pan told her. "I'll see meet up with you there." She left.  
  
Bra was confused like she always was when it came to the things Pan said. But she couldn't let this veer her from her mission. Her objective: To give Goten the order to date Paris. It wouldn't be easy. She didn't want things to have to be this way. But all the rules and all the laws made all the difference. Sure, it would cut into her time to see him. Sure, she'd probably turn into a jealous upstart. Sure, she stood a chance of losing him if she allowed this. But it would allow Goten to keep his job, his freedom and his life.  
  
Goten was standing beside her suddenly and she gasped. He always seemed to do things like that to her. Show up when she wasn't looking for him to be there.  
  
"We have to talk," Bra began. She was gonna cut to the chase this time. Especially seeing how that red-headed rambler could show up at any minute.  
  
"What is it?" Goten asked, a look of concern on his face.  
  
Bra stood from her desk. "People are asking questions. I think they're suspicious."  
  
"Yeah, tell me about it," Goten said. He folded his arms across his chest. "So, what are we gonna do?"  
  
Bra took a deep breath. The suggestion would surely kill her. But did they really have a choice? "Goten, I think you should date Paris...."  
  
Goten just stared at her strangely.  
  
Bra raised her eyebrows.  
  
"Why?" Goten asked after a moment of silence.  
  
"It might keep suspicions down," Bra replied. She paused. "Pan thinks you're gay."  
  
Goten frowned. "What makes her think that?!"  
  
Just then, the counselor made her entrance. She ignored Bra, as usual, and flounced her way over to Goten. "Hey." She kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Bra fumed internally. It was like the ditsy red-head knew how much she hated for people to flirt with Goten. To think that this was her only alternative. To think that this was the only way to keep people from suspecting them. If there were something she could do to avoid it, she would. She would give anything for Paris to not be involved.  
  
Goten looked at Bra. The look on his face asked the question 'Are you sure about this?' Bra didn't know what to tell him. But she couldn't lose confidence in the fact that her plan would work. She also had to show him that she was mature enough to deal with this situation. Let's be serious here. No other high school girl would. So she nodded.  
  
"I'll see you at the library after school. Okay?" Goten said slowly. He sounded very unsure. She could almost hear the wheels in his head turning. He didn't really want this (or at least she hoped he didn't), but in the end, it would be for the best.  
  
Bra left. She wasn't sure what to think. She had always had it easy when it came to love. She never had to worry about anything because her love life only consisted of one thing. Pining for Goten. And now that she basically had him, she already stood the chance of losing him to another woman. Another woman that he's not even interested in. It made little sense. She began to wonder if she had a couple of screws loose. She couldn't believe she'd made such a suggestion, even to keep their feelings for each other a secret.  
  
As of now she had a few people to keep her eye on during this ordeal. One was Pan. One was her brother. And the other was her father.  
  
Soon she would have to face the first one. Pan.  
  
--End I Think You Already Know How Far I'd Go Not to Say--  
  
--Once again, I apologize for the long wait on this part. But it's in better time than the prior. I'm getting to the fun stuff soon, I promise. It's just taking a while to get there.  
  
--The Random and Ambiguous Vent: I've been very angry for the past few months. I have very little spare time on my hands. Work is a bitch. School is a catastrophe. Neither my car nor my computer equipment is falling through like I'd hoped. The quality of my work may be less than expected, but eventually things will turn around..... At least I hope they will.  
  
--On to more important things: What's going to happen now? Will Goten agree to start dating Paris? Or will Bra come up some new scheme to keep their love for each other a secret? And what about Pan? What does she want to talk to Bra about? Find out next time. 


	10. How to Handle a Rope

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--How to Handle a Rope--  
  
She wanted to stand at the door just to hear what had gone on between Paris and Goten, but she had to get to her next class. Pan was already suspicious enough without Bra giving her a new reason to be.  
  
Bra took her seat in her science class in front of Pan. She wasn't sure if she should look at her or not. Maybe if she acted like she didn't see Pan, they wouldn't have to talk about whatever it was that Pan wanted them to talk about.  
  
"Bra, I'm gonna ask you this straight and I expect a straight answer," Pan said.  
  
Bra didn't like the sound of that. It was demanding. Pan was demanding an answer to a question she hadn't even asked yet. She turned to her friend. The look on Pan's face was very serious. That wasn't like Pan at all. If Bra weren't the daughter of the prince of all Saiyans, she might have been frightened by the look Pan gave her.  
  
"Have you ever even seen Goten with woman?" Pan asked.  
  
Bra remained silent for a moment. Was she still investigating the gay thing?  
  
"I guess I shouldn't put it that way. We've all seen him with a woman before. He went to the gala with one. I should probably just ask if you know whether he has a girlfriend.... Or a boyfriend," Pan clarified.  
  
Bra was speechless.  
  
"He's always keeping things like this from me. I thought you might know since you two are pretty close," Pan said. She finally smiled. "Maybe you two should go out or something. Yeah! That's a great idea!"  
  
Bra shushed Pan. "Are you crazy? He'd never go for it."  
  
"But YOU would, right?" Pan asked slyly.  
  
Bra rolled her eyes. "We can't talk about this here."  
  
"It's a yes or no question," Pan told her. "Would you or wouldn't you go out with my uncle?"  
  
"We can't talk about this now," Bra insisted.  
  
"Fine. I'll just call you after school," Pan said, winking at Bra. "I think you'd make a cute couple."  
  
"Pan—!!" Bra began.  
  
"Alright. Alright," Pan said, pretending to zip her mouth shut.  
  
It was all over for her now. She knew it. Once Pan did this, she'd tell Videl. And once Videl knew, she'd tell Gohan. And once Gohan knew, he'd tell Goku. And once Goku knew, for some strange reason, he'd probably tell her father. Their relationship was odd—Goku and the Prince. Goku thought of Vegeta as one of his best friends while Vegeta thought of Goku as his worst enemy. Sometimes the whole situation just made Bra laugh. Sometimes. But not now.  
  
Right now she wondered if Goten had really gone through with what she'd told him to do. Or if he would think about the position that would put them both in. It was hard to answer that question herself because while Goten had matured in many ways, he was still the same guy. She'd just have to wait till after school to find out.  
  
--later--  
  
Bra could never make it to lunch on time for some strange reason. Oh, yeah. She was always off listening to the occasional song on the cd player she kept hidden in her backpack. Today, it was The Velvet Underground & Nico's 'The Black Angel's Death Song.' Very cool song. John Cale's viola sound really added an ethereal kinda feel to it. Unfortunately, it wasn't helping Bra get to lunch any faster.  
  
She strolled down the hall, still thinking about the eerie song she'd just finished listening to. She passed by Goten's classroom and wondered if he might, by chance, still be there. It would be a good time to find out what happened between him and the counselor. Whether they would start dating or not. It had been an impulsive suggestion. She sure hoped he hadn't gone through with it.  
  
Bra peeped through the window on the door to the classroom and gasped at what she saw. There were 4 female students standing around Goten as he sat on top of his desk. And he was laughing and joking with them. She could hear the girls' flirtatious giggles and dreamy sighs. The nerve of those little tramps. They didn't even take into consideration that he might have a girlfriend or something. They just shamelessly flirted with him. ALL of them.  
  
Surely flames had emitted from her eyes. Bra's anger had gone from 0 to 60 in a matter of seconds, and she was now well beyond the limit. But she had to keep her cool. She had to remain calm and confident. She couldn't appear shaken by this. It took everything she had not to break the door from its hinges. And since it took all of her control to do that, she couldn't hide the irate look she gave the flamboyant femmes who stood before Goten.  
  
Everyone turned toward her, surprised. Everyone except Goten. He gave Bra a huge smile that was almost enough to melt away her mood. Almost.  
  
"Hey, Bra. What's up?" Goten asked cheerfully.  
  
Bra cleared her throat and looked around the room at the other girls. "Hey, Mr. Son. I was hoping I could talk to you alone."  
  
Ha ha haaaaaa!! These were preppy girls. They feared Bra more than they even feared smudging their makeup. The quartet quickly evaded, giving the two the privacy she had requested.  
  
Goten looked confused as the girls rushed out of the room. Then he gave Bra a cute closed-mouth smile.  
  
Bra smiled and looked at the floor. It was silly for her to behave this way after she was so angry only moments ago. But that was the effect Goten had on her. He always made her feel things she normally wouldn't feel. It nearly made her forget why she was there in the first place. Wait. Why was she here again?  
  
"So, what did you wanna talk to me about?" Goten asked, hopping off of his desk.  
  
He walked toward her, and she began to feel a certain nervousness. A familiar nervousness. A nervousness she only felt when she was close to this man. She took a deep breath, hoping it would go away. She was here in his classroom for a reason. So what was it...?  
  
Bra stood there silently chewing her bottom lip. She was sure she'd come for a reason. She was sure it was an important reason...........................  
  
THAT'S IT!!!!!  
  
"What about Paris?" Bra asked Goten.  
  
Goten gave her a confused look. "Paris?"  
  
"Paris. Did you—?" Bra began.  
  
"Ohhhhhh, Paris," Goten said. He folded his arms across his chest and looked at the ceiling. "Yeah, I said we'd go out. She seemed pretty happy about it."  
  
Bra's world shrank on her. Not this. The threat was back again. And it was all her own fault. If she could have just kept her mouth shut, maybe she wouldn't have to deal with this now. But it was too late. She'd tied her noose, and now she had to hang from it.  
  
--End How to Handle a Rope--  
  
--Hello again. I'm slow getting this stuff out. I know. I'm really sorry about this. Thanks for reading this very short and nonsensical episode.  
  
--Thanks to those of you who are still out there and those of you who are still reading this nonsense. I'm surprised anyone would stick around for this stuff. Especially since it's taking me so long to get it out.  
  
--If you have comments, questions, suggestions or whatever, just let me know. 


	11. Turn, Turn, Turn

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--Turn, Turn, Turn--  
  
She wanted to hit him. But why would she do that when it was she who'd given him the order. How stupid could she be? Paris was his ex- girlfriend. It seemed she would do anything to get him back and Bra just let him walk right into her arms. Can you say DUMBASS?  
  
"Why did you do that?" Bra asked. She knew why he did it. So why was she asking?  
  
Goten raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that what you wanted me to do?"  
  
Bra could feel her anger quickly coming back and there was nothing she could do to stop what came out next. "And like an idiot, you went and did it?!! What kinda fool are you?!!" There she went with the talking- before-thinking thing.  
  
Goten looked surprised and hurt. "I only did it because you told me to."  
  
"You really haven't changed at all, you know that?" Bra said. She'd regretted saying what she'd said. She hated for him to have that look on his face. But there was no way she could stop her mouth from moving. "You're just a mindless moron who can't think for himself."  
  
Then Goten's expression changed. His brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed. Yep, that was anger written on his face. "Look who's talking about someone who hasn't changed. You're still an arrogant, bratty little child."  
  
To see such anger and hear such hurtful words come from him was not unusual. She'd heard him yell at her brother and Pan and even Marron from time to time. But he'd never directed such words at her. It hurt. But she deserved what she was getting now. She'd pushed this man up to his last straw. She'd insulted him. And what did she expect? He was only human (well, half Saiyan too). When pushed, the only natural reaction was to push back.  
  
"And if you're so much smarter than everybody else, why'd you tell me to do something you didn't even want me to do?" Goten continued.  
  
"Because I didn't want you to lose your job because of me!" Bra shouted.  
  
"Don't you get it yet?" Goten said, turning his back to her. "It's not the job I care about. I didn't ask Paris to go out with me because I wanna keep my job. I did it because it was what YOU wanted. I did it for you."  
  
Bra's heart did a little ditty. She wasn't sure what to say after hearing something like that. It pretty much went against the very reason they were keeping their feelings a secret. If he didn't care about his job, then why all the secrecy in the first place? It was all too much for her to understand. Should she be happy that he was doing this for her? Or should she question the whole situation? What man could honestly believe that a woman would want him to go out with another woman?  
  
She sighed and played at her hair. There wasn't really a way for her to undo what was done. Normally, if she had a problem, she would just eliminate it. But this wasn't like a video game. This wasn't like the scratched up CD that she could trash and easily replace. She was dealing with people now. And in dealing with people, the answer did not lie in destruction or making a replacement. In the case of dealing with other people, you had to either make a compromise or sink back into your pitiful little world of loneliness. And now the later was simply not an option.  
  
Life was so much easier when she didn't have to deal with relationships. When she hadn't confessed her love for the man before her. When all she had to do was worship him from afar. Now look what was happening. What a mess.  
  
"Listen, Bra. I'm sorry--" Goten began.  
  
"No, I'M sorry, Goten," Bra interrupted. She put her head down and shook it. "I shouldn't have called you those terrible names. Especially when I'M the one who screwed things up." Wow. That was something she didn't do everyday. Apologize. She never thought she'd EVER have to do that. EVER. But here she was. Apologizing. New things happened everyday when you start revealing your feelings.  
  
Goten's eyes were warm and sincere, as they always were (unless you made him mad, as she found out) and he gave her a smile. His usual smile. "You didn't screw up. You did what you thought was right. That's one of the reasons you're so easy to fall for."  
  
There was a long silence. Bra's heart sang again and danced a jig. That was definitely something good. One of Goten's best qualities was making people feel good about themselves, no matter who they were or what they'd done.  
  
Unfortunately, lunch period was quickly drawing to a close and she hadn't eaten yet. She knew she was part Saiyan. It was important for her to have nourishment. But for some strange reason, she wasn't able to leave the room.  
  
And before she knew it, Goten was standing right in front of her. His closeness startled her. As a matter of fact, she couldn't believe he would even risk standing this close to her while they were at school.  
  
Then the unthinkable happened.  
  
He kissed her. And this wasn't your friendly peck on the cheek. This was latex, fur and feathers kinda stuff. In his classroom. During school hours. It was unorthodox. Yet, there was a certain thrill in it all. The mere thought that they could possibly get caught sent a wave of sheer excitement through her entire body. She couldn't believe he would be so...what was the word for it?  
  
Oh, who cares? Her hormones were beginning to get the best of her as she pressed her body close to his. He slowly began trailing kisses down her chin and finally to her throat. The unnamed feeling had returned and was quickly growing, specifically in a place between her legs that she'd rather not mention....  
  
She could swear she'd heard herself moan. It sounded like her voice, yet it was so distant. And soon after, another distant sound reached her ears. It was the bell for class to begin. FOR CLASS TO BEGIN???!!!!  
  
Bra jumped out of Goten's arms. She could still feel his hands on her body. But she had to get it out of her head. She had to get it together before she went to class. Taking a deep breath, she could feel that her face was flushed.  
  
"Sorry, I don't know what came over me," Goten apologized, scratching the back of his head.  
  
"Don't be," Bra said, a little breathless. She wasn't sure what made her say THAT. She gave him a little smile. "I'll see you after school." With that she made her way out of Goten's classroom and down the hall.  
  
This had turned out to be an interesting day indeed. But it wasn't over yet. She wondered what could be in store for them at the tutoring session. Then again, Paris was still going to be a problem, considering he was officially dating her now.  
  
Bra looked at her watch and picked up the pace. As she sped down the hall, the four girls who had been in Goten's classroom when she arrived were standing at their lockers, giggling. Hm. That was another thing she wanted to talk to him about.  
  
--End Turn, Turn, Turn--  
  
--Hello, again. Yeah, after another long wait, here's another short episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. I'm so sorry it's taking so long for this. But I AM one step closer to getting my computer equipment up and going. Maybe I won't screw up majorly between now and the next episode. Thank you for taking time out to read it. And thank you for all the past reviews.  
  
--So, let me know what you think. As for me, I was told by a reviewer that I shouldn't be so hard on myself (or something like that). Thanks for that bit of advice.  
  
--AND my mother always told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all....  
  
--Oh, and don't give up on me yet. The real stuff is on its way. 


	12. It's the End of the World As We Know It

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret  
  
--It's the End of the World As We Know It--  
  
Fan-freakin'-tastic. Goten hadn't even shown up for their study session yet. What was up with him lately? Bra didn't like this one bit. Especially after she'd seen him with those girls during lunch. DURING LUNCH. Nothing could stop Goten from getting a meal in. And there were four of them. Sure, she knew a lot of women were interested in him. And sure, she'd sent him off to another woman. But there was no excuse for THAT kind of behavior. Outright flirting. Silly little show-offs. She hated girls like them.  
  
Stupid, lovable Goten. He was the MAIN one at fault.  
  
So what was he up to now? Had he found those peppy little prep girls and started flirting with them again? She would question him thoroughly...if he ever showed up.  
  
Bra sat in the library lobby in Goten's usual seat and waited...............  
  
After about 15 minutes, Bra was boiling. Goten hadn't arrived yet. Very unlike him. Well, as of late, it kinda WAS like him. So what were her alternatives? She could 1) sit there and continue to wait patiently until she heard from him, 2) hunt him down and question him, or 3) go home and pretend none of this ever happened. Under any normal circumstance, she would have chosen to kill him and be done with it, but recently, her judgment had been a bit off. Her mode of thinking had become...calmer...in a way.  
  
So she decided to go with an altogether different option. She would find out where he was, surprise him, and then remind him of why you don't mess with the daughter of a Saiyan prince.  
  
Bra gathered up her books and headed out of the library. The fun part of it all was that she had decided to remain calm, no matter what happened. Now, unless he was intentionally hiding from her, she would be able to determine his locale via ki signature. If only she'd concentrated on searching for powers when the person wasn't in a fight, this would have been a piece of cake. Oh, well.  
  
She took off flying, not really caring if anyone saw her or not. Once in the air, she stopped and scanned the city. Nope. Looking for him this way wasn't the answer. She'd have to feel for his life energy. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Everything around her gave off a little of the energy she was searching for. It was like being bombarded with an onslaught of warm cotton balls all over her body. She was sure that if she reached through those cotton balls, she would find the stones that represented her family and friends.  
  
Of course, the first distinguishable energy she detected was her father's. He was most likely training. Then she picked up energies that were very near each other. They were probably together. Now, who were they? One was...Pan. And she was accompanied by three others. Yep! She'd found him. There was Goten.  
  
Bra opened her eyes and set out in the direction in which she had felt his energy. At sound-breaking speed, she jetted across the sky. So Pan was with Goten. And two others. She hadn't paid attention long enough to tell who they were, but she didn't care about that at the time. She just wanted to find Goten and see if she could break a few bones once she reached him.  
  
She soon found herself floating above the local hospital and immediately regretted threatening to do Goten harm. What were he and Pan doing at the hospital? A feeling of dread filled her all of a sudden. What if Goten was hurt? She couldn't bare the thought of him being in pain, or worse (yet she was about to cause him physical pain when she found him).  
  
Bra rushed up to the front desk. "Where?!! Just tell me where he is!!" She was in a panic. She couldn't even focus anymore.  
  
The lady at the front desk looked at her strangely. "Young lady, please just stay calm."  
  
"I AM CALM! NOW WHERE IS HE?!?!?!" Bra shouted.  
  
The hustle and bustle that surrounded her, which she hadn't even noticed when she first enters, ceased.  
  
"I don't know who you're talking about, Miss," the poor woman behind the desk told her.  
  
"Don't try to hide the truth! I know he's in one of these rooms!" Bra hissed from between her teeth. Before she knew it, she had cleared the counter and was hurriedly typing on the computer. "How do you work this thing?" she whined.  
  
"Bra, is that you?" a voice called to her.  
  
Bra looked up and saw Gohan. So that was one of the other powers she'd felt. Tears came to her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing behind the desk?" Gohan asked, looking confused.  
  
Bra ran over to Gohan and clung to him. It was strange. She never really clung to anyone. Except Goten. "Gohan, what happened? Please tell me. I was so worried."  
  
"It's alright. Mom's gonna be fine," Gohan informed her. "Dad just panicked and called all of us. She just got a slight concussion. Nothing serious."  
  
Bra looked up at him, wide-eyed. "Mom? You mean ChiChi?" She let him go and dried her tears.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't think you knew about it. And I didn't want to worry anyone," Gohan said.  
  
So ChiChi was the one who had been admitted into the hospital. She looked toward the waiting area. There was Videl, Pan, and the one she had been searching for, Goten.  
  
"How did you find out she was here?" Gohan asked.  
  
She had to think fast. What could she tell him that would make sense? "Well, I had tutoring today and Goten never showed up...." She may as well leave it at that. No need to go into details. Half-truth was her middle name these days.  
  
Gohan smiled a strange kind of smile. "I still can't believe you're being tutored. You're so smart; I never would have guessed in a million years that you'd need help with anything."  
  
"Everybody needs a little help every now and then," Bra told him.  
  
Gohan nodded. He was about to say something when Goten came over and put his hand on Gohan's shoulder.  
  
Goten smiled his oh-so-adorable smile. "Hey, Bra. Sorry about tutoring today. False alarm." He looked at his older brother. "You think it'd be okay for me to split? We've still got studying to do."  
  
Gohan raised an eyebrow. "Studying. Right."  
  
Bra's face instantly turned pink. Does he know something?  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Goten asked.  
  
Gohan smiled. "You two better go hit the books." With that, he strolled back to the waiting area.  
  
Both she and Goten had shocked looks on their faces.  
  
"Um...Goten..., what was he talking about?" Bra asked. "Did you say something to him?"  
  
Goten shook his head, still looking a bit surprised. "He just likes to tease me sometimes...." He thought for a minute. "But he and Pan were really chatty with each other today. Even more so than usual."  
  
Bra looked into the waiting area. Gohan and Videl were both looking at her and Goten while Pan looked at a magazine. "I don't like the looks of this," she whispered to Goten. "We'd better go."  
  
Goten nodded.  
  
Just as the two were about to make their exit, Goku came out of one of the hospital rooms. "Hey, you two love birds!" he called to them. He waved vigorously.  
  
Both Goten and Bra cringed. What had just happened?  
  
--End It's the End of the World As We Know It--  
  
--Welcome once again. I said I'd try to start getting these chapters out faster. And I'm doing the best I can. So tell me what you think. And please take it easy on me. I still consider myself a rookie. Very much so a rookie.  
  
--Thank you all for the reviews. Like I've said before, you folks are the fuel that keeps this fire going. I hope you enjoyed this little episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. Please stay tuned. You never know what's gonna happen next. 


	13. The Art of Keeping a Secret, Lost

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret

--The Art of Keeping a Secret, Lost--

"What's up? You two look like you've seen a ghost," Goku said as he approached them.

Bra wasn't quite able to say anything. As a matter of fact, there was a good chance that she had lost the ability to speak altogether. Goku had just called them out. How could he possibly know about them? Something had gone terribly wrong if Goku knew that they were "together".

"Dad, what are you talking about?" Goten asked, still shaken by what had been said.

Goku looked from Goten to Bra and then back to Goten. "I'm talking about what Pan was saying earlier," he told them.

Goten looked confused beyond compare. "What Pan was saying earlier?"

She should have known that this whole catastrophic unveiling had been caused by Pan. But how could that be? Pan knew nothing of their new relationship.

"Oh, that's right. You were writing your mom in when we were talking about it," Goku recalled. He looked at the ceiling.

Bra was beginning to feel light-headed. Goku knew. Pan knew. Gohan and Videl had to know. She wondered how they found out. She wondered who else might know. She wondered if her brother knew. She sure hoped her father didn't know. That was the last thing they needed.

"Talking about it?" Goten asked. He must have been just as stunned as she was.

"Yeah. She was saying that she caught you two kissing at school," Goku informed them.

Both Goten and Bra were speechless.

Goku grinned that ridiculous grin of his and marched off to the waiting area.

No way. No. There was no way in hell Pan could have seen them. That was all there was to it. But if Pan hadn't seen them kiss and said that she had, then what sense would that make? Bra was having trouble comprehending all of this. Why'd Pan have to go and tell everybody they knew? This just made things 10 times harder for them.

Goten looked at Bra with raised eyebrows. "Well...."

"Well..." was Bra's only response.

They were silent for a few moments.

"We've still got a lot of studying to do," Goten finally said.

Bra found herself staring at the floor. "Yeah. We'd better get outta here."

--at the library--

During the flight to their place of study, the two were silent. They were both trying to think of a way to get out of the mess they'd gotten themselves into. Would any studying really be done today?

It was almost 4:30 when the two arrived and settled into their usual room.

Bra flopped down in her seat and Goten leaned against the door. Silence still.

....

"How did this happen? How did we slip up like this?" Goten asked quietly.

Bra laughed sarcastically. "WE? How did WE slip up like this?" She shook her head. "YOU kissed ME, remember? I had a fool-proof plan in action and you decided that you couldn't keep your lips to yourself."

"Hey, I didn't see you trying to stop me," Goten said. He sighed. "Besides, that's not what this is about--"

"That's exactly what this is about. What else is it about?" Bra asked.

"Listen, it's not about what's already happened. It's about what's going to happen next," Goten told her.

Bra closed her eyes. "You're right." She laid her head on the table. "Of course you're right. What's done is done. Now we have to find a way to deal with it."

Things could never be simple for her. How did they let themselves get caught so soon after it all began? It was only Tuesday. What were they supposed to do? They were seeing each other...in a way. She was way too young for him. And her father would have him for dinner once he found out. Then there was the fact that Goten was now dating Paris as well. This was a ditch they'd both dug much too deep to get out of. Even with the ability to fly.

"Well, everybody already knows. So denial is out of the question," Goten said. He put his hands in his pockets.

"Everybody in your family knows. If we can keep it to just them knowing, it might not be so bad," Bra brought up.

"Why do we even care who knows? We should just tell everybody," Goten suggested.

Bra gave Goten a strange look. "What's wrong with you? Did you forget that I'm your student?" What was he thinking? Did he forget why they were keeping this all a secret in the first place?"

"Who cares about a stupid job if it means I can't be with you?" Goten asked.

He really wasn't getting the point. It wasn't just his job that was on the line if everyone found out about them. "Goten, listen to me. You will go to jail. Prison. P-R-I-S-O-N. Then you wouldn't have to worry about having a job OR being with me. Because you'll be incarcerated. Haven't you ever heard the statement: '15'll get you 20'? Well, 16 is just as bad."

Goten thought for a minute. "Oh. Right. Waiting another two years is better than waiting 20 years."

"So, we still have to keep this thing under cover," Bra added. "I don't think anyone at school knows except Pan."

"I hope so," Goten said. "But sometimes she likes to talk more than she should. We have to get to her before she gets to anyone else."

Bra nodded. There was one good thing that would come of this. She'd be able to express her feelings toward him around the people who knew. They all seemed pretty happy to hear that they were 'together'.

She looked over at Goten and saw that he was staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing," Goten answered. He looked at his Teachers' Edition, which lay on the table.

Nothing? Not with that look. That look was for something. She decided not to worry about it. She had other things on her mind. "So, what about the whole Paris thing? If you stop seeing her, everyone at school will suspect something. If you don't stop seeing her, your family will probably freak."

Goten shook his head. "Thanks for reminding me. We're supposed to go out tonight. I'd better call her and tell her I'll be late." He stepped out of the room.

Bra felt heat at the backs of her eyes. It was obvious what his choice was. She knew the two would be dating, but the reality of it only hit her just now. Goten was seriously dating his ex-girlfriend. What did she expect? For it to be a lie? It was what they'd planned.

Of course, she couldn't sit there and cry. It wouldn't solve anything. And it wouldn't make the situation go away. She wondered what would happen when the counselor kissed him. She wondered what would happen when that red-head offered her body to him. It was bound to happen eventually. And it sickened her to even think about it. While Goten was obviously not like any other man on the face of the planet, he was still a man. And every man had needs, just like every woman had needs.

Anger. Frustration. Jealousy. All of them began to swallow her. And as she sat in that lonely room, she decided that she should make herself scarce.

--back home--

Bra walked through the front door and slammed her book bag on the floor. Then she leaned against the door and took deep breaths to keep from crying her eyes out.

"You're home early," Bulma stated. Bra hadn't seen her mother sitting on the sofa, reading one of her science magazines.

Bra looked up at her and gasped.

Bulma finally took her eyes off of her book and eyed her daughter. "Is something wrong?" She put her magazine down and walked toward Bra.

"Nothing's wrong. Just stay away from me," Bra snapped.

"Your eyes look red. Have you been crying?" Bulma asked, walking toward her still.

"I said stay away!!" Bra shouted.

She ran to her room and slammed the door. She wouldn't cry. She would will herself not to cry. She continued taking deep breaths and went to her window. Looking at the sky usually calmed her....

After about five minutes of staring blankly at the clouds, Bra began to feel a little calmer. She looked down at the gravitron her father trained in and saw two figures standing beside it. One of them could only be her father. Funny. Her father wasn't one to have company over unless-- She took a closer look at the person standing with her father. Oh, no. Her nightmares were coming true much too quickly for her. The person talking to her father was none other than Goku.

--End The Art of Keeping a Secret, Lost--

--Hey, there again. After another long wait, here's another episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. Thank you so much for taking time out to read this seemingly endless story. Just let me know what you like and what you don't like.

--Thanks for the past reviews. Keep them coming. And while there are still a lot of unanswered questions floating around, I do plan on answering at least some of them. So don't lose hope just yet.

--What could her dad and Goku be talking about? Find out in the next episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret.


	14. The Horror

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret

--The Horror--

Two days (actually 4) and it had come to this. Her father was standing outside her window talking to none other than Goku. How had that clown of a Saiyan got to her house so fast? And undoubtedly, the conversation was about something she didn't need for them to be out there talking about. She was sure of it. So sure, as a matter of fact, that she contemplated going out there and denying it all.

But this was no time for denial. This was a time for action. This was a time to prove that she wasn't the little girl everyone seemed to think she was. This was a time to prove that she was a mature adult capable of handling hardships that might stand in her way. Of course, she hadn't really proved this when she fled like a little child in mid temper-tantrum from the library this afternoon. But that was something altogether different.... Wasn't it?

Bra stared at the two gentlemen Saiyans maybe 60 yards away from her window. This stupid place she lived in was well sealed. Every room was as close to soundproof as a room could get without being a complete vacuum. What made her think that she'd be able to hear their conversation from that far away? She couldn't read lips either. So what was stopping her from opening the window? All she needed was a little crack. What hindered her from performing such a small action?

There was a knock on her bedroom door. Great. Her mother was here to question her. This wouldn't be any fun. As a matter of fact, this would be sheer torture. She went over and opened the door.

Her mother stood there with a glass of water in hand. "Bra, I'm not here to make you talk. I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you feel like getting something off your chest."

Bra just went to her bed and sat there, giving her mother a very tired look.

Bulma joined her on the bed and gave her the glass of water. "Being a teenager is hard. I'm not gonna lie to you about that. It's full of a lot of good times and bad times too. And sometimes you're going to go through things that you think no one else in the world would understand. But there's always someone who does, if you just talk to them. Sure, your case is a little different because you're part Saiyan. But you're part human too. Just remember that."

This was her nice little way of saying, 'I understand what you're going through because I was your age once.' Yeah, right. She wouldn't understand squat about what Bra was going through now. Her mother might think she knew a lot about a lot of things, but she really didn't know anything. Not in this case anyway.

"I'll keep that in mind, Mom," Bra said with a sigh. She had no intention of talking to her mother about this. And by now, her mother should know that she had no intention of talking to her about much of anything.

She looked back out of her room window and saw that Goku was still standing there, but her father was nowhere to be seen. Goku started heading toward the door. Where had her father gone? Oh, no.... She had to find him before he killed someone. Namely Goten.

Bra rushed out of her bedroom.

"Where are you going? I thought we were going to talk," Bulma asked.

Bra ignored her. She hurried toward the front door and when she opened it, she collided with Goku, knocking her flat on her butt. Boy, the Sons had bodies like cement walls. Or maybe it was the fact that her unsuspecting body was much too small for their massive bodies. Okay, so her body wasn't as small as she was making it out to be. But in comparison, those guys had her by a long shot.

"Hey there," Goku greeted. He gave her a strange look. "Sorry about that. Are you okay?"

Like father like son. Both Gohan and Goten got their ever-so-sweet nature straight from their father. ChiChi was nice when she wanted to be, but for some reason she couldn't imagine her staying that way for very long.

Bra looked up at the smiling Son. "I'm fine." She wasn't sure what else to say. She wanted to ask him what he'd said to her father, but she couldn't muster the nerve. Especially now that her mother was entering the room. Goku helped her to her feet.

"How silly of me. Of course you're alright. Look at who your parents are," Goku said.

"Hey, Goku. Come on in," Bulma chimed.

This was Bra's opportunity to escape before Goku spilled his guts to Bulma. As Goku entered, Bra slipped out.

This day was turning out to be quite a calamity.

Bra sped through the sky searching for her father's ki. It wasn't hard to locate, since he was most likely quite angry at the time. He was flying in the direction of Trunks and Goten's apartment. What would he do when he found Goten? What would she do when she found her dad?

Stupid Pan. Why'd she have to open her big mouth? Couldn't she keep that kind of information to herself? And data leakage must have been genetic because not even an hour later, Goku was spilling the beans to Vegeta. Vegeta of all people! Her father rarely, if ever, listened to Goku when he came over to chat. Maybe he paid attention this time because it was about her. Her father HAD always had a soft spot for her. She tended to make him do irrational things at times. Of course, she doubted that it would keep the prince from annihilating the man she loved.

Bra landed at Trunks and Goten's apartment and silently prayed. She prayed that Goten was still alive. If she never saw or spoke to him again, she would die herself.

She stood at the door for a moment and listened for anything that might signify that Goten was still alive.

"Dad, I told you. I don't know where he is," she heard Trunks say. "Why are you suddenly interested in finding Goten anyway?"

"That's none of your concern!" Vegeta bellowed. "If I find out that you knew where he's been this whole time, you're next!"

A classic Vegeta threat. She was used to hearing it. The funny thing about it was that you never knew what you were next for. But with Vegeta, it was best that you NOT find out.

Just then, Vegeta came through the front door and looked at Bra. And for a brief moment, she'd forgotten why she was there. But her father just looked at her. Then as he was about to take to the skies, Bra grabbed his arm. She wasn't sure what she should say to him.

"What are you doing here?" Vegeta asked her. He furrowed his eyebrows. "Are you here to see 'him'?"

Here was the other person who could put her at a loss for words. And with a question like that, who could blame her? She resorted to this technique when the situation was dire and now was a good time to try it. She put on her saddest puppy dog face and looked her father in the eyes. "Papa--"

"You are NOT to see him again," Vegeta told her harshly. He escaped her grasp.

Her tactic hadn't worked.

"I have to!" Bra shouted. "He's my teacher." It was the only thing she could think to say. She dared not say that she loved him. That would really send Vegeta into a fit of madness. Not that he wasn't already there.

Vegeta laughed that maniacal laugh of his.

Ah, there was that fit of madness.

"Don't try to fool me, child. I know what's been going on. I've known for some time now," Vegeta said very seriously. "I don't want you to see him again. And if I have to put a stop to it myself, then so be it."

Had her father gone off the deep end? Was he really considering murder?

The whole situation was beginning to anger Bra. "Dad, I'm old enough to make my own choices! I'm not a child! And I don't need your protection or your permission! I can see who I want to see!" That probably wasn't a good idea. Her father had a reputation of having a slight temper.

Vegeta silently glared at her, then turned his back to her. "You'll have a bit of trouble seeing him when he's six feet under."

His aura flared around him and he flew off at the speed of light, leaving Bra standing in front of Trunks and Goten's door.

She turned back toward the door and saw Trunks standing there. She hadn't even noticed him. She was really slipping these days.

"So, that's what this was all about," Trunks noted. "I should have known."

Bra squinted her eyes at him. "Oh, what do you know?" She was losing patience. She had to stop her father before he found Goten. Of course, she wasn't very successful when she ran into him only a moment ago.

"Well, let's see," Trunks said, pretending to ponder the subject philosophically. "I know that Dad's really mad."

"When ISN'T he?" Bra asked, rolling her eyes.

Trunks ignored her. "I also know that he's gonna do anything within his power to keep you two apart."

"What are you talking about?" Bra asked.

"I'm talking about you and Goten. You two spend way too much time together as is," Trunks told her. "Besides, you'd have to be a complete ignoramus NOT to know that you two like each other."

"You know?" Bra asked. She'd begun to fume again. "I'll kill Pan."

"Kill Pan? What for?" Trunks questioned.

"Because she's told everyone we know about us!" Bra exclaimed.

Trunks shook his head. "I haven't even talked to Pan recently. Have you been listening to anything I've said?"

Bra gave him a strange look. "Huh?"

Trunks walked over to his little sister and tapped on her forehead. "Pay attention. I said that you'd have to be a complete ignoramus NOT to know that you two like each other. He's always looked out for your well-being. He's always put you before all else."

"And you never said anything?" Bra asked.

"Of course not. I tried not to think about it much. Nobody wants to think about his best friend and his sister like that," Trunks said.

Bra stood there confused for a minute. How long had he known about this? From the way he said it, he seemed to know years ago. Back when they were all kids. Unfortunately, she didn't have much time to sort it out. Goten's life was hanging in the balance. She'd have to find some way to stop him. And now that SHE'D angered Vegeta, it would be nearly impossible to stop him.

"I gotta go," she said to her brother.

"I'll come with you," Trunks said.

What? Her brother wasn't usually willing to help her in any way. Then again, it was his best friend who was in danger here. Maybe if they worked together they could calm Vegeta down....

"Thanks Trunks. I'm glad you've got my back on this," Bra commented.

"Hey, what's a big brother for?" Trunks said.

The two took off, following their father's ki signature as fast as they could. If they didn't catch up to him soon, there was no telling what might happen.

--End The Horror--

--Um.... Hello.... Uh.... Hello...? There you are. Some of you may remember this story. I bet you thought I fell off the face of the planet. I apologize for the extended wait on this episode. You wouldn't believe how busy I've been lately.

--Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. Let me know what you think. As I always say, I'll try to get the next chapter out in a more respectable time period. Maybe I won't make a liar out of myself this time.

--Thanks for the reviews. And thanks for your patience.


	15. Out of the Frying Pan And Into the Fire

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Out of the Frying Pan...And Into the Fire--

"So, you two are actually together now?" Trunks asked as they sped through the clouds.

"We should focus on finding Dad instead of holding a conversation," Bra said, not even looking at her brother. She didn't want to talk to him about it and he didn't want to hear about it. It was a win/win situation if they left it alone.

"Hey, I just wanted to give you my blessing," Trunks told her.

Bra thought for a moment. That was really sweet of Trunks to say. It made her wonder if he felt alright. Maybe he was sick or maybe.... Was her brother dying? Of what? She wasn't sure what to say. Trunks' intentions toward her were rarely ever positive. As a matter of fact, he had always been the villain as far as she was concerned.

She kept silent and increased her speed. And of course, her brother did the same. Her main focus was the safety and well-being of Goten. And heaven only knew what Vegeta might do now that she too had angered him.

Tracking their father, Trunks and Bra ended up at the Sons' house. They could see ChiChi standing at the front door, giving Vegeta an angry look. From what Bra could tell, her father had only just arrived. She and her brother landed nearby.

"Goku isn't here right now. You'll have to fight with him tomorrow," ChiChi told Vegeta. She had her arms folded across her chest and a dish towel in one hand.

Not even the lady of the house feared Vegeta. And she knew that it got under her father's skin.

Vegeta folded his arms across his chest as well. "That's not why I'm here, woman. I'm looking for your youngest brat. Now where is he?" he spat out.

ChiChi leaned against the entrance with her arms still folded. "You have no manners whatsoever. It would probably kill you to be polite for a change."

"I have no time for your nonsense! Now tell me where the brat is!" Vegeta bellowed.

"I'm not telling you anything with that attitude, Mister," ChiChi said. She looked over toward the wooded area and noticed Bra and Trunks standing there. "What is this?"

Bra decided to emerge from behind the trees. "Hi, Mrs. Son." It was only proper to speak. Especially to the mother of the man you loved. "Dad, it's time to go home."

Vegeta gave Bra a very angry look. "I knew you were following me. You and that brother of yours." He looked over at Trunks as he too walked out from behind the trees.

"Daddy, I want you to come home. You're so mad right now you can't even think straight," Bra told her father.

"Don't tell me what to do, child," Vegeta muttered through his teeth angrily.

"I am NOT a child! Why can't any of you see that?" Bra shouted. She folded her arms across her chest and tears threatened her eyes. Was she pouting? That's exactly what she was doing. Maybe she really WAS just a child.

The look on Vegeta's face softened a bit. He could never stand to see his daughter angry. And he could never ever stand to see his daughter cry. Crying was not an option in their household. Not even when they were young. Their father called it a sign of weakness. But it was really his weakness to see someone cry.

"Bra, are you ok?" ChiChi asked. "Why don't you come in and sit down?"

Bra didn't let her tears fall. She couldn't. Not in front of her father. Not in front of her brother. And definitely not in front of ChiChi. For some reason, she felt the need to give ChiChi the impression that she was a strong woman both emotionally and physically. So she sucked up her tears. "No, thank you. We'd better take our dad home."

Vegeta squinted his eyes. "I'll go. But it doesn't change that brat's fate."

ChiChi looked at Trunks. "What's his problem anyway?"

"Too much coffee. He's just really wired," Trunks lied.

Bra was confused for a second. Why would Trunks tell her that? Well, surely no mother would want to hear that someone had intentions of killing her youngest son. Not only that, But ChiChi had a bit of a temper herself. It was really for the best. Man, Trunks was smart. She didn't give her brother enough credit sometimes.

"See ya later, Mrs. Son," Bra called as she, her brother and her father started back toward Capsule Corp.

None of them spoke. It would be dangerous to say the wrong thing while in mid flight. Their father could cut and run at any time. There was no telling what that guy was thinking.

--back at CC--

They had done a superb job of retrieving their father and bringing him back home. He seemed much calmer after the long silent flight. And Goku had left before Vegeta got home. That was good. Seeing him here would have only angered him again. Vegeta sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to watch the news.

Bulma must have been off in her lab. It was strange. She was usually in by this time in the evening. Then again, she'd been known to pull all-nighters every now and then.

Bra let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for coming with me, Trunks."

"No problem. I think I'm gonna head home myself. I got a lot of work to do," Trunks told her. He took his leave.

Bra smiled to herself. She'd saved the life of the man she loved. At least for today. There was nothing that could bring her down now. "Hey, Papa. I'm gonna grab a snack. Can I get you anything?" She walked toward the kitchen door.

"I guess," was Vegeta's response. "Just bring enough for two."

Bra nodded. She opened the kitchen door and gasped at what she saw. There stood Bulma and next to her was Goten, chopping up vegetables. Bra just stood in the doorway, astounded.

"Hi, honey," Bulma greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Bra," Goten said cheerfully.

Bra shook her head. "Wha--What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you," Goten told her. "You disappeared from the library so fast. We didn't even have a chance to study."

"You shouldn't be here," Bra said. "Dad--"

"Oh, your father won't be home for hours," Bulma assured her.

"No, he's--" Bra began.

"By the way, I was just telling Goten that Goku told me about you two," Bulma chirped. "I think it's wonderful. We have to plan for the wedding." She looked away dreamily.

Goten scratched the back of his head and laughed goofily. "Don't you think it's a little soon to be talking about a wedding?"

Bra was trying to get the words out of her mouth that her father was indeed in the other room when the man himself came through the kitchen door.

"You. I knew I heard your voice in here," Vegeta said. He obviously wasn't happy.

--End Out of the Frying Pan...And Into the Fire--

--Welcome back, people. I hope you enjoyed this strange episode. I rarely have plans about what's going to happen, so if you have any suggestions about what you want to see or if you have any comments about what has already happened, please let me know.

--Thank you for reading this installment of Versus 2. And thank you for all the past reviews. Just to let you know, I've already decided to do a Versus 3. But we have to see how this one is going to turn out first.


	16. Waging War

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret

--Waging War--

Everyone in the kitchen--Bulma, Goten and Bra--turned to face an incredibly angry Vegeta. He glared at Goten as if he had killed one of his family members in cold blood.

"You. I knew I heard your voice in here," Vegeta said. He obviously wasn't happy.

It was a countdown to destruction. They were all speechless for the moment. What was one to do when you were facing down your very powerful and half insane father? A person who never liked for you to even have male friends, let alone a boyfriend. This was just too much to bare. Something had to be done.

"Dad--" Bra began.

"You stay out of this," Vegeta said to his daughter. He looked at Goten with the fiercest expression Bra had ever seen. It was dangerous to even be in the same room with this guy right about now.

Goten just stood his ground and stared Vegeta straight in the eyes.

"Vegeta, I think you should calm down," Bulma stepped in.

"I will not calm down!" Vegeta bellowed. "I will not have HIM coming into my daughter's life and...seducing her into believing she has feelings for him."

It was easy to tell by the look on Goten's face that he had been hurt by the remark. The fact that Vegeta actually believed that he was tricking Bra into thinking she had feelings for him was a stab at his character.

Bra silently boiled during all of this. She hated that her father was doing this to Goten. And she hated that her father believed that she wasn't capable of handling her own relationships.

"You're such a pompous prick, Vegeta!" Bulma shouted.

"Both of you, just stay out of it. This is between me and the brat," Vegeta said calmly. "And I plan on teaching this brat a lesson." He pointed at Goten. "We'll settle this outside."

The four of them went into the back yard of Capsule Corporation.

"Is this really even necessary?" Goten asked Vegeta.

That Goten. Forever lighthearted and freewheeling--that is, until you get on his bad side. What person could hate someone so cheerful and positive? Oh, yeah. He stood right in front of him now.

Bra's temper was steadily getting shorter and shorter.

"Always the good guy. Just like your idiot father," Vegeta said.

Goten's facial expression quickly went from friendly to fatal. And who could blame him? Both he and his father had been insulted in the same statement. This undoubtedly meant war.

"Vegeta, I don't want to fight you. But if it means that I'll be able to be with your daughter in peace, then I guess that's what it's come down to," Goten told him. He took his fighting stance.

Vegeta smirked and took his stance. "You're either brave or foolish to butt heads with the prince of all Saiyans. And I think it all comes down to how foolish you are." He powered up to Super Saiyan level 2. "When I'm done here, you'll think twice before you try to manipulate someone else's daughter."

That was it. That was the last straw. Bra powered up to Super Saiyan level 2 and phased over to where her father and the love of her life stood. "Dad, I won't have it." She stood between the men.

Vegeta looked at her strangely.

Bulma's eyes bulged. "Wha--? She's a Super Saiyan too?"

"Goten's been nothing but kind to me my whole life. He's a great friend. But my feelings are my feelings. And it's not because he did anything to make me feel this way other than being himself," Bra told her father. "And he feels the same way about me." She looked over her shoulder at Goten and smiled. Then she looked back at her father with a serious expression. "So, if you can't handle that, you're just gonna have to take it up with the person you should have been taking it up with in the first place. Me." She took her stance.

"Is she serious?" Bulma asked.

Goten looked a little surprised.

"She's talking about FIGHTING? She's talking about fighting her FATHER?" Bulma asked no one in particular.

Goten walked over and stood behind Bra. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"Just stay out of this, Goten," Bra said without even turning toward him. "This is the only language he can understand, you know. It's the only way to get through to him."

"I'm not gonna let you do it," Goten stated. He placed his hand on her shoulder.

Vegeta furrowed his brow.

Bra finally turned and glared at Goten. "So, you're saying you're not gonna let me stand up to my father? So, you're saying you're not gonna let me make any decisions? So, you're saying you're not gonna let me express my feelings? So, you're saying you're not gonna let me be with you?" she exclaimed, getting louder and louder with each sentence.

Goten held his hands up in defense and backed away a little. "Okay, okay. I get the picture. But there has to be some other way."

Bra turned back toward her father. "I want you to see that I'm not a little girl anymore. I want you to see that my feelings for him are real. And I'd like for us to have your blessing. So, if challenging you to a sparring match is the only way to prove myself, then I challenge you."

Bulma fainted and Goten quickly went to her aid.

Vegeta smirked. "It's an interesting offer. And I think I'll set the conditions." He thought for a moment. "If you win, I'll give you and the brat my blessing. But if I win, you get no blessing from me and you are to never see him again."

Bra swallowed hard. It was a tough decision to make. She was putting it all on the line this time. Everything depended on whether she won or lost in a fight against her own father. She wasn't sure what the outcome would be, but she knew that her father would hold nothing back. Especially with such high stakes. And she would hold nothing back either. She looked back at Goten, who was holding her mother in his arms and looking at Bra worriedly. She had to do it for him. She had to do her best in order to be with him. Losing was not an option here because losing the fight meant losing everything.

Bra took a deep breath and nodded to Vegeta. "The conditions are fair enough."

Vegeta nodded. "Then let us begin, child."

Bra's aura flared around her and her golden locks whipped violently atop her head. "I am not a child!!" she yelled as she accelerated toward her father.

She made an attempt at dashing at him quickly with a punch to the jaw, but he caught her by the fist. Bra delivered a surprise kick to the side of his head to make him let her go.

He looked at her and smirked. "Not bad. But I hope that's not all you're bringing to the party."

Bra squinted her eyes at him. "There's plenty more where that came from. I hope you're ready for it."

She phased out of sight and ambushed her father from behind with blurred kicks and punches. Unfortunately for her, Vegeta had anticipated the attacks and dodged them easily at first. Then he began a combination of swift punches and kicks of his own. Electric currents seemed to spark around them as they attacked each other in mid air. The assaults continued for a while, both getting a few attacks through, but not enough to do any major damage.

Vegeta suddenly jetted backward, sending miniature ki attacks at Bra. She swatted them away with ease and gave chase. Vegeta then seemed to disappear from sight. Bra stopped dead in her tracks and looked around for him. He was much too fast for her to find with her eyes, so she felt for his ki signature. There! She grabbed the prince by the ankle and threw him toward the ground as hard as she could.

Vegeta made a recovery and just before hitting the ground, landed on his feet. He looked straight up at his daughter, who seemed to be gathering ki for an attack.

"FINAL FLASH!!!!" Bra sent the enormous amount of energy at her father at a record speed.

Vegeta didn't have time to respond before the light enveloped him.

--End Waging War--

--Well, here's another episode of The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret. Hope you enjoyed it. Just let me know what you think. I'm not sure if anyone's done this scenario before. Why don't you give me your opinion on it? Loved it? Hated it? Could have been better? Could have been worse?

--Thanks for past reviews and thanks for reading this installment. There's more to come. Let's just hope I can get it out before Ivan strikes (some of you out there know what I mean). Until then, see ya.


	17. When It All Comes Down

The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret

--When It All Comes Down--

Bra looked at the result of her attack. Dust and smoke were all around and she couldn't even see where Vegeta was. Had he blocked the attack? Had he dodged it at the last second? She couldn't be too sure. No matter what the case, she had a feeling that there was still more fighting to be done.

She looked over at Goten, who was watching her intensely. She had put it all on the line in order to be with this man. And he was obviously just as willing to do the same. She wondered what might have happened had she allowed him to fight instead of taking on her father herself.

"Bra, look out!!" Goten yelled.

"I thought I taught you...," Vegeta said from behind Bra.

Before she was even able to turn around, he had clamped his hands together and bashed her in the back, sending her plummeting toward the earth. She hit the ground at such a high speed that it caused the ground beneath her to collapse, leaving her imprint.

"...never to let your guard down in a fight," Vegeta told her.

Bra had barely heard what he said. Her ears were still ringing from the impact. She slowly pulled herself up out of the crater in which she lay.

"That was a dirty move!! You'll pay for that!" Goten shouted.

Bra looked over at Goten quickly and saw that he was about to stand up. "Do NOT interfere, Goten!!! This is MY battle!" Yeah. That was easy to believe when you were on your hands and knees, just finishing off a face full of dirt. She slowly got back up on her feet.

Goten growled, but he took his seat next to the unconscious Bulma again.

"You're persistent. I'll give you that," Vegeta said to Bra. "But you'll need more than that if you plan on beating me." He displayed his ever-so-popular smirk.

Bra gritted her teeth, and then rushed headlong at her father at full speed. And the blurred attacks ensued. Both blocked and dodged each other's assaults for a while, but it was easy to tell that Bra's power was beginning to dwindle a bit. Soon she stopped attacking altogether and just dodged a lot of her father's attacks. One well-placed kick in the side sent her flying.

She stopped herself in mid air and tried to catch her breath. From that day forward, any time she thought about her father, she would think about the Energizer bunny. She had to admit, she just didn't have the stamina to keep up with this guy. He was an old man, for goodness sake. And she was a teenager. She should be full of energy. She knew for a fact that no matter how this match turned out, she would have to undergo some rigorous training.

And here we go again. Vegeta was flying at Bra at a phenomenal speed. He punched at her, but she phased out of sight. She reappeared above him and attempted to elbow him to the ground, but he too phased out of sight. Vegeta reappeared on the other side of Bra and tried to kick her even higher into the air, but she phased out of sight again. She reappeared behind him and punched at his kidney. No use. He phased out of sight and reappeared below her, grabbed her by the ankle and started swinging her around. Vegeta hurled her far off into the distance.

"Now I'll show you how to properly execute that technique!" Vegeta shouted gathering energy for a ki attack. "FINAL FLASH!!!"

Bra stopped herself in the air and turned toward the approaching beam of energy. "FINAL FLASH!!" She propelled an attack of her own. She knew that it was foolish to perform such a technique when she was so low on energy, but she had to try something. She was losing. And losing this battle meant losing everything. Absolutely everything. Tears began to fill Bra's eyes and distorted her vision....

-- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & --

flashback

A 10-year-old Bra sat in her room quietly with her shoulder-length hair hanging down around her face. She was listening carefully as her brother informed their mother of his plans for the day.

"Mom!" the 19-year-old Trunks called in his polite tone. He only did this when he wanted something. Almost like Bra herself. Of course, it didn't work as often for him as it did for Bra. He continued, "I'm going over to hang out with Goten."

And that was Bra's cue. She stood and strolled out of her room.

"What?!" Bulma said. "You just got home from school." She turned around, but Trunks had already gone. She rolled her eyes. "Just like his father."

Bra waved to her mother. "Later, Mom!"

"Where are YOU going?" Bulma asked.

She couldn't think of anything to say at first. "The library. Gotta go!" Bra said quickly. She ran out the door equally as fast.

"Wait!" her mother called out in vain.

--at the Sons' place--

Her eyes danced around quickly to keep up with the movements, like a predator watching its prey, as she remembered that she hadn't seen him in almost three months. Her post was high up in a tree in the Sons' back yard with her arms folded across her chest. She had followed Trunks to the present location, not flying, of course. Had she done so, he would have felt her ki and stopped to ask questions. So, on foot she had followed Trunks to the Son's house, climbed in a tree, and sat.

She had been warned not to hang around Trunks and Goten so much. She knew that her father didn't like it. And she knew that her brother didn't like it. For some strange reason, she got all the attention when she was around them. Too bad. Goten was basically her trainer (well, he and her father), so she HAD to be around him as much as she could.

She wanted to watch and learn today, although she was feeling very uncomfortable in the early summer heat and leaves blocked her view. To get a better look, she inched her way further out on the limb until there was a loud snapping sound.

The young men stopped sparring and looked up in the tree as the branch cracked again and came down with a loud thud. Still attached to it was young Bra, face down, holding the branch. "Ou, ou, ou, ou...," she muttered right before she passed out.

--soon--

A bucket of ice cold water was splashed on Bra's whole upper body. She sat up screaming. Goten was on his knees right in her face and they blinked blankly at each other for a while. He had always been so attractive. His black hair had no definite cut or style, but he had the most amazing facial features. He looked almost too young to be 18 years old. They stared at each other for a long time.

Trunks burst into a fit of laughter. "You look terrible, Sis."

Both Bra and Goten looked at him.

"Oh, shut up!" Bra bit back.

"You really shouldn't have done that, Trunks. She could catch cold or something." Goten said. He turned back to her and was smiling with his eyes closed. "Good afternoon, Bra."

Bra turned her eyes toward him and blushed a little. "Hello, Goten." She forced a smile.

Goten opened his eyes and looked confused. "Say, Bra, why were you up in that tree?"

Trunks was sitting Indian-style beside her. "Yeah."

Bra frowned. "Well, I wanted to watch you two fight."

"Why?" Trunks asked.

"Stop asking questions, you big geek!" Bra yelled.

"Relax," Trunks said nonchalantly. He stood up and started stretching.

"Well, let's entertain the little lady," Goten suggested.

"I don't feel like fighting anymore," Trunks said.

"Why?" Goten almost whined.

Trunks patted his stomach. "What's your mom cooking today?" He grinned.

Goten's stomach growled loudly. He smiled. "Wow! We must be twins!" He looked at Bra, who was standing there soaked. "Where are my manners? You probably want another shirt, huh?" He looked at her shirt.

Bra quickly folded her arms across her chest. Being a quickly developing 10-year-old, she was very self-conscious about her body. "That's a good idea," she answered.

They went through the living room to get to his room so that they didn't run into his mother in the kitchen.

"You can pick out any shirt that you like," Goten said, giving her a towel.

She already knew which one she wanted. There was a kick-ass Motorhead t-shirt somewhere in that closet and she would find it. She'd seen him wear it a couple of times before and every time he did, she'd make a comment about stealing it from him. She rummaged through his things and retrieved the shirt she desired. "This is the one."

"I should have known you'd want that one," Goten said. "I'll be in the kitchen when you're done." He made his exit.

Bra smiled as Goten left. She couldn't believe that she'd be wearing an article of clothing that belonged to him....

-- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & -- & --

present

Bra could feel herself losing consciousness as she put the very last of her energy into her ki attack. Then her hair changed back to its usual color and she watched as Vegeta's beam devoured her own. She blacked out.

--End When It All Comes Down--

--That's the end of that. Hope you enjoyed that episode of The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret. To those of you who thought that Bra stood a chance against Vegeta, I'm sorry. It's not my fault. Well, it kinda is, seeing how my favorite characters in the DB universe are: 1) Goten, 2) Vegeta and 3) Piccolo. But if you think about it, it only made sense for Bra to lose. So rant and rave all you like. Just let me know what you think.

--Thanks for reviewing past installments and thank you for reading this one. Please stay tuned for the next episode of The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret.

--And to all you folks out there dealing with all these hurricanes, please be careful. And if you're advised to evacuate, please do so. Good luck.


	18. Kiss Me

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Kiss Me--

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!!! FIGHTING YOUR OWN DAUGHTER?!!" Bra heard Bulma's voice echo through her brain. She wondered how she was able to hear their conversation so well when all the rooms were nearly soundproof. Her bedroom door must have been opened a little.

She hadn't even opened her eyes yet. She dared not move just yet because every part of her body ached.

"I wouldn't expect YOU to understand!" Vegeta commented rather loudly.

"I understand perfectly! You're an insane father who won't let his daughter be with someone she loves. My father didn't want me to be with you, but he never punched me in the face over it!" Bulma shouted.

Ah, waking up to an argument between your parents was always a sure sign that you weren't dreaming.

"You have no idea what happened out there today!" Vegeta said.

"Just because I fainted doesn't mean I don't know what went on! And seeing the result made it pretty clear what happened!" Bulma spoke up. "You--could--have--KILLED--her!!!"

Bra slowly sat up on what she found out was her bed. Her head was spinning and the aching in her body got worse. The room was completely dark.

"You're awake," a familiar voice whispered. This voice was not coming from another room. The person who spoke to her was in the same room. And the strangest thing about that voice was that she could swear it was Goten's.

"Goten?" she struggled to ask, looking around the room as if she could see in the dark.

The small lamp beside her bed came on and cast a dim light in the room. It was indeed Goten. He was sitting in a chair beside her bed with a look of concern on his face. "How are you feeling?"

Before answering his question, Bra stared at him for a moment. What was he doing here? Surely, if her father knew about this, nothing would stop him from annihilating Goten on the spot this time. He'd held back with her because she's his daughter, but he really hated this man.

"I hurt," was Bra's only answer. It seemed that right now, talking was making the pain even worse. But she mustered a slight smile. His presence could be her motivation.

"THIS IS RIDICULOUS, VEGETA! Let her live her life! She's 16! She's all grown up! She's not our little girl anymore!" Bulma argued from the other room.

"That's not the point!" Vegeta bellowed. "You're so clueless! I can't believe you don't see what's happening! And YOU'RE supposed to be the genius here?! Hardly." Then came the sound of a door opening and then slamming shut. Bra knew that sound all too well. It was the sound of her father taking time out to think. He was leaving and probably wouldn't be back for at least a couple of days.

Goten looked toward the bedroom door. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said, referring to the comment Bra made earlier. He looked back at her. "That was a great fight, by the way. I don't think I would have been able to hang in there as long as you did."

Bra hmphed and looked away from him. "It doesn't matter. I lost. Which means we can't see each other anymore." Then she looked back at him. "Why are you here anyway?"

"Your mom wanted me to watch over you. I guess she knew I was worried," Goten told her.

"And my dad let you stay here?" Bra asked. Maybe her father had had a change of heart. Maybe he would allow them to be together after all.

"Ummmm..., he kinda doesn't know I'm still here," Goten said.

Well, so much for false hope. She should have known that her father wouldn't go back on his decision. If Vegeta found out that he was still here, Goten would be a big red smudge on the carpet.

Bra groaned. "I can't believe this. My dad's such a jerk sometimes." She picked up one of her many screwdrivers that was just lying around and hurled it at the half-opened bedroom door. It made a loud thump and slammed the door shut. The screwdriver was stuck in the door. "Oops." She laughed a little.

Goten looked at the door and laughed a little too. "Hey, don't worry about your dad." He put his hand on her cheek. "I'm just glad YOU'RE okay."

There were those irresistible eyes of his. The situation was absolutely perfect. They were in her dimly lit bedroom alone. And suddenly there came an overwhelming urge to kiss him. She slowly leaned toward Goten and closed her eyes. Ah, the magic that this night could bring.

A faint sound caught her attention. It was the sound of a door opening. A nearby door. Her bedroom door. Both she and Goten turned toward the door as Bulma stuck her head in. The two sprang back from each other.

"Oops! Sorry. I heard a sound come from this direction and I thought I'd check it out," Bulma said. She smiled a goofy little schoolgirl type smile. "Good to see that you came around so quickly, Bra. I'll just run off now. Let you two get back to...." She giggled.

Bra rolled her eyes. Her mother could be such a teeny-bopping miscreant at times. All Bra wanted right now was to be alone with Goten.

"Actually, I think I should be the one to leave, Mrs. B.," Goten interrupted.

Bra's expression was one of utter confusion. HE was leaving? But why? Didn't he want to be there with her?

"You don't have to leave. You know you're always welcome here no matter what Vegeta says," Bulma said.

"Thanks. You've already allowed me to stay when I should have been kicked out," Goten said.

"Oh, Goten. You're really the best man I could ever ask for my daughter to be with. Her father just doesn't see it that way," Bulma told him.

Goten smiled that Son smile of his. "It's okay. I'm not gonna give up that easily."

What a guy! Bra should have known that Goten was a bit more defiant than that. He'd stared death in the face, watched as he defeated his own daughter and still he had no fear of what may happen if he were to get caught with her. It now gave Bra all the right in the world to be just as defiant.

Bulma smiled and winked at Goten. "You'll fight until you win. Just like your father." She looked at Bra. "Well, you'd better get some rest. I know that fight took a lot out of you."

Bra nodded. "A little."

"Come on, Goten. I'll show you out," Bulma said.

"Okay." Goten looked at Bra. "Goodnight, Bra. I'll see you at school in the morning."

"See you then," Bra said.

The two looked at each other for a while and silence filled the room.

"Oh, come on. Are you gonna kiss her or what?" Bulma asked.

Bra looked surprised. "MOM!"

Goten scratched the back of his head. "I...guess I should."

Bra furrowed her brow. "You guess?"

"Kidding," Goten reassured her, standing in front of Bra as she sat on the bed. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

Bra blushed a little and smiled up at him.

Bulma became teary-eyed. "Where's a camera when you need one?"

--End Kiss Me--

--Really short chapter. I know. I just ended it here because the next episode is at the beginning of the day. And I hate putting the end of one day and the beginning of another in the same chapter. Sometimes I do it, but I start feeling lost when I do.

--Thanks for all the reviews. I'm still a fledgling writer, so it really helps to hear from you. Maybe if I ever start another type of story I'll consider myself a beginner.

--Please review. Let me know what you think. Let me know what you liked. Let me know what you didn't like.

--Thanks for reading this installment of The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret. This is your host SludgeMetal666 saying "If you keep reading, I'll keep writing."


	19. How About One That EXCLUDED Telling Your...

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--"How About One That EXCLUDED Telling Your Relatives?!"--

Bra wasn't really in the mood for school today. Her body was still in pain, her muscles were sore and her eyes had begun to ache now for reasons beyond her understanding. Everything from the night before came back to her in a wallscroll of events.

Goten had been so willing to stick around after she and her father fought last night. It was a dangerous thing to do, considering her father never liked the man AND she and her father decided that if she lost against him, she was to never see Goten again. But there he was. And it was pretty obvious that he was concerned about her well-being. It made her heart flutter to know that he was there to watch over her.

Man, she really was turning into one of those romance-ridden high-strung teen pop-fruit bubblegum girls that she hated so much. That was probably one of the reasons she was unable to even hold a candle to her father. She was getting weak. She wasn't training like she should have been.

Bra made her way to the kitchen where her mother sat at the table, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning, honey," Bulma greeted. "How are you feeling?"

Did she really want to answer that? Should she be honest and let her mother know that she ached from head to toe? Or should she lie and tell her mother that she was feeling fine?

"Hey, Mom. Is Dad back yet?" Bra asked. Changing the subject was a sure-fire way to avoid answering questions she didn't want to answer.

Bulma shook her head. "You knew he left?"

Bra nodded. "I heard you two arguing when I woke up last night."

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry you had to wake up to that," Bulma apologized. "I have no idea where he goes when he does that. He'll probably be back tonight." She sighed.

Bra could tell that her mother was worried. Why she would be worried about one of the strongest fighters in the universe, Bra wasn't sure. She sometimes found herself worrying about Goten when it was completely unnecessary. Must have been a part of the 'love' thing. Her mother would probably be happy if Bra asked her about the whole 'love' thing. Of course, her mother would probably prattle on and on about it, but it would definitely brighten her day.

"Mom..., I think I'm in love...," Bra announced.

Bulma looked at Bra and smiled that warm, sweet smile that mothers do when they find out that their daughters have just been proposed to or that their daughters are going to have babies. This was really the last thing Bra wanted to get into right before going to school. But if it made her mother happy....

"This is wonderful, dear," Bulma said. "And that Goten is a real keeper too."

Bra rolled her eyes.

"I could tell that when you were younger you had a little crush on him, but I thought you grew out of it and that you two had just become good friends," Bulma recalled. "I never really thought about it after that. You've always liked him, haven't you?"

Bra blushed a little and nodded.

"Yeah. I remember when I first fell in love. I was about your age," Bulma reminisced. She started babbling about how she first went out hunting for the Dragon balls and how she met Yamcha. All the stuff that usually bored the crap outta poor Bra. She'd heard the story a million times. Then her mother started talking about when she fell for Vegeta. Yet another story she'd heard a million times. It wasn't that she had no interest in hearing how her mother fell in love with her father. (It was a subject that often puzzled her. As a matter of fact, it made her wonder how their relationship worked in the first place, having the attitudes that they both had. And how on earth they were still together NOW was beyond her as well.) It was just that Bra had heard the tales so many times that she had them memorized.

"....As you can probably guess, my father wasn't the biggest fan of Vegeta," Bulma babbled on. "He never liked the idea of me seeing him. But he had to understand that I couldn't live my life the way that HE wanted me to live it. I had to live it the way that made ME happy. It took a long time for your grandfather to understand that, but eventually it got through to him."

"Hmph. Not exactly the same situation. Grandpa was nowhere near as strong as Dad," Bra reminded her. "Dad could have crushed Grandpa in the blink of an eye if he wanted to. That's probably why he came around. In MY case, Dad could destroy Goten if he wanted to. And my dad doesn't have a pleasant attitude like your dad."

Bulma laughed sardonically. "Believe me, sweetheart, I know the situation. And sometimes it's hard to tell what your father's next move will be. We just have to hope for the best. In the meantime, I'll take responsibility for you two being together."

Bra looked at her mother strangely. She wondered if her grandmother had done the same for her mother while she was with Vegeta. It was a shame really. Bulma was a grown woman by the time she met Vegeta, yet Bulma's father still expressed his dislike for their relationship. It just goes to show that no matter what the age, a girl's father would still have his say in her choice of men.

--at school--

Bra walked into the classroom. Goten wasn't there writing on the board like he usually was by this time of the morning. There was actually only one person in the classroom before she was. And that one person was Pan.

Pan. The villain in all of this. She'd been the one to cause all of these problems. Had she not opened her big mouth, none of this would have ever happened. She went over and stood in front of Pan's desk.

"Good morning, Bra," Pan greeted cheerfully.

An angry look crept up on Bra's face. "Don't give me that 'good morning' crap. You can't hold water."

Pan looked up at her. "What are you talking about?"

Bra frowned. Was this girl feigning idiocy or what? "You KNOW what I'm talking about. Why'd you tell everyone about Goten and me?"

"Oh, that. Well, let me explain," Pan said.

"Alright. Explain. I wanna hear this," Bra told her, folding her arms across her chest.

"It's like this," Pan began. "I was walking by to see if my uncle was going somewhere for lunch and to see if I could tag along. Well, when I got to the classroom, guess what I saw. You two in there lip-locking like your lives depended on it."

Bra rolled her eyes.

"I was really happy for you," Pan continued. "I couldn't keep that kind of information to myself. So, it was either tell someone at the school, which would have gotten both of you into some major trouble, or tell my family. I couldn't think of another way to deal with such good news. What other option did I have?"

"How about one that EXCLUDED telling your relatives?!" Bra shouted. "You have no idea what you just put us through!"

"Put you through? What are you talking about?" Pan asked.

Bra sighed. "YOUR grandfather told MY father."

Pan cringed. "Ooooo.... Not good."

"Yeah, I said that too," Bra said. "Trunks and I had to chase my dad down to keep him from pulverizing Goten. Then I had to fight him to determine whether we'd get his blessing or we'd never see each other again. I lost. Now, if my dad catches us together, it's lights out for Goten."

"YOU fought your dad? How did that end up happening?" Pan asked.

Just like a Son. They pay attention when it's about fighting, then ignore the rest. The fight wasn't the important part of what she was saying.

Bra thought for a minute. None of this would have been happening now if it hadn't been for Pan, yet she was telling her everything that had happened. With what went on in the last day, she shouldn't tell Pan anything. Of course, now it was too late to turn back. She'd already told her all of the major stuff. The hunt, the fight, the loss. Everything. Of course, there was nothing to fear in her telling THIS bit of information. All the real damage had already been done. So she should just let bygones be bygones and let the good times roll on. Right?

No! That wasn't right. Bra was still in hot water if Pan told anyone that she was still seeing Goten behind her father's back. It would be the resurrection of the madman by the name of Vegeta.

"Pan, listen to what I have to say. We're friends. And one friend isn't supposed to put another friend in harm's way. Am I right?" Bra began.

Pan nodded.

"Well, by telling your parents and grandparents, you put not only me but your uncle in harm's way," Bra continued.

"Bra, you don't understand," Pan started.

Some students were finally entering the classroom. Still no Goten. What was his deal today? Why was he later than usual?

"My parents already told me that you two liked each other. And in a way, I already knew. I just couldn't be too sure," Pan said. "I've been trying to find out by regular means, but you've never given me a straight answer. So when I found out that everyone's been right about it, I HAD to at least tell my parents. It's not my fault that my granddad over-heard, then went off and told your dad."

Blah, blah, blah. Yapping away. Bra had never cared for it. She never cared for excuses either.

"What do you care anyway? You're still gonna keep seeing him. You have a tendency to rebel and this is no different," Pan told her. "As a matter of fact, you probably think it'll be more exciting to see him if your father forbids it."

Pan had a point. She WAS a rebel by nature. And she DID get a certain kick out of doing something she knew she wasn't supposed to do. Since when did Pan get to know her so well?

"You don't seem to understand what I'm trying to say to you," Bra sighed. "I NEEDED for you to keep what happened yesterday to yourself--"

"I didn't KNOW that," Pan interrupted. "How was I supposed to know that you didn't want anyone to know?"

"Any moron could have guessed that we didn't want anyone to know something like that,"

Bra argued. "You should have talked to me about it first."

"Yeah right! What good would that have done? You never wanna talk to anyone about anything," Pan said. "I've tried on so many occasions it makes my head hurt to think about it."

Once again, Pan had a point. Bra had a record of not talking about certain things. But, it still didn't give Pan the right to do what she did. There was no way to justify the injustice that was done. Then again, there was no way to go back and correct the mistake that had been made. All of this arguing was futile.

Bra sighed. "Okay, I'll admit that I should have told you how I felt about him when you asked. But you have to admit that it was wrong for you to go around telling everyone what happened between us."

"Fine. I'm sorry for spilling my guts," Pan said. "I shouldn't have--"

Bra interrupted her. "And I DO want something in return, since you caused so many problems for us."

Pan raised an eyebrow.

"Any time I need for you to help us out of a jam or any time I need a witness or an alibi, you're my patsy. Got it?" Bra asked.

"You want me to be your fall guy?" Pan questioned.

Bra nodded. "Exactly. And not just for me, but for--" She looked around the room at all the students who had shown up for class now. She couldn't just announce who she was talking about in front of all of the other students. "--'him' too...." There was no telling who had been listening to their conversation. She couldn't risk other students finding out about this whole affair.

"It's the least I can do, I guess," Pan told her. "I owe you that much." She smiled mischievously. "I told Marron that you had a thing for him."

"You WHAT?!!" Bra asked. That was really the last thing she needed. To hear about all of this from Marron of all people.

--End "How About One That EXCLUDED Telling Your Relatives?!"--

--Pan's nothing more than a little gossiping rat! Who would have guessed it?

--Oh! Hello, again. Sorry I'm late coming out with this episode. I've had some things going on, but I hope they're all taken care of now. And I also hope you enjoyed reading this episode of Versus 2. Most of you probably thought this story would be over by now, but there are still a lot of issues that haven't been covered. So, we've got a while to go. I hope we can make it to the end.

--Thanks for all the past reviews. And once again, I'm really sorry about the long wait on this chapter. Hopefully I will get the next one out in a more timely fashion.


	20. Stand Up

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Stand Up--

As soon as the tardy bell rang, Goten came rushing into the classroom. He closed the door and looked around the classroom at first. Then he straightened his collar. "Good morning, class," he greeted.

The students just looked at him strangely.

"This morning we're going to have a discussion about why certain countries lose wars and why others win," Goten said. He began writing on the board.

Bra watched Goten as he hurriedly wrote the notes for class on the board. Why was he so late? Why was he behaving the way he was when he first came in? Something fishy was going on, but Bra didn't know what it was. It plagued her. Surely her mind would not be able to rest until she found out why he was late. Maybe she was just paranoid. Maybe he'd just overslept.

She looked around the room and saw the girls staring at Goten dreamily. If she could poke all their eyes out, she would feel a whole lot better. But she couldn't do that without being expelled at the very least. She'd just have to stick THIS out too. So she joined the rest of the ladies in staring at the hottest guy in the entire city. He wore black dress shoes, black trousers, a white oversized dress shirt and a red and black tie.

Tie?!! Goten was wearing a tie today! Why was he all of a sudden wearing a tie when he used to come to class tieless and with his top button undone? There really was something weird going on. All of this was making Bra extremely antsy. She wanted to talk to him about all of this, but it would just have to wait till after class.

"Do any of you have any suggestions on why some countries are unable to defeat other countries?" Goten asked after he finished writing his notes.

It would be a looooooooong wait....

--after class--

As usual, the other students gathered their things and left the classroom while Bra lingered behind.

"Hey, Bra. I'll see ya in science class, okay?" Pan said to her.

Bra was barely listening. She just nodded and hoped that Pan would go away. It worked. Whew! Now she sat and watched Goten erase the board. Yes, the motion of his body always fascinated her. It was hard for her NOT to analyze his every move. There was always a strange feeling inside of her whenever she watched him or thought about him. Something unexplainable. Something she hoped would go away if she spent enough time with him. But it only grew when she did.

Goten turned to her and smiled. "Hey there. How are you feeling?"

Bra smiled back. It was an automatic reaction these days. Any time Goten sent a smile her way, she would quickly deliver one right back. It wasn't just because it was the polite thing to do. It was because she actually felt happy. Surely there was no one else on earth who could make her feel truly happy like he did.

"I'm just a little sore, that's all," Bra answered. "No big deal."

Goten walked over and sat on top of the desk she was sitting in. "So, you haven't been blacking out or anything?"

He put his index finger in front of her eyes and moved it around slowly. And Bra watched it like some sort of wayward kitten. It seemed as if someone or something else were controlling her. She hated to be controlled. That was another of her pet peeves.

"No, I haven't been 'blacking out or anything'," Bra told him.

Goten put his finger on her nose. "Good." He then folded his arms across his chest. "So, what's up?"

She almost felt guilty about asking him why he was late this morning. Of course there was really no way for her to find out unless she asked. So how could she ask without sounding like a worry-wart or a nag?

The door to Goten's classroom opened and that red-head stepped in. Paris. Bra had almost forgotten about her. That idiotic counselor looked a bit angry today. Why was that?

"I cannot believe you stood me up last night, Mister. Where were you?" Paris asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Paris always seemed to completely ignore Bra whenever she came to talk to Goten. Bra didn't like that at all. She wasn't the type who had to be the center of attention all the time, but she DID want to be acknowledged when she was sitting right in front of the person you'd come to talk to. What Paris was pulling now was downright disrespectful. Bra cleared her throat.

The stupid counselor still offered no greeting. No apology. Nothing. In Bra's book, that was disrespect. And disrespect was simply not tolerated. As the daughter of the great Prince Vegeta, she was obligated to show this woman what it meant to cross a Saiyan of royal blood.

Goten's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Where was I?" He never was a good liar. He was too used to being honest to lie. "I...didn't stand you up.... I called..., remember?" He looked a little nervous.

"Hm? I remember a call. But I thought you said that you were going to be late because of tutoring," Paris said.

"Ummmmm...." Goten looked around the room for the answer. "I'll make it up to you. Why don't we just go out tonight?"

Paris smiled. "Okay, but I won't have you stand me up again."

This whole situation was making Bra sick to the stomach. If she didn't leave soon she wasn't sure what she might do. "I'll see you later, Mr. Son," she told him. She waved good-bye.

Goten gave her a look that begged her to stay and come up with something to get him out of this. But Bra couldn't do it. This was for the best. Wasn't it?

Bra began her trip down the hall to her next class. Even though their families knew about their secret relationship, they had to play a game of keep-away at school and out in public. This wouldn't be easy. No, this wouldn't be easy at all.

--next class--

Pan smirked as Bra sat in her usual seat in science class. "You two weren't making out again, were you?"

Bra's eyes stretched. "Shhhhhhh!!"

Pan grinned. "Nobody knows what I'm talking about. Besides, no one's paying attention to us."

Bra frowned. "We were NOT making out."

"I don't know. You look a little flushed and flustered," Pan informed her.

Should she talk to Pan about her problem? Pan, ye pitcher which cannot hold water, had a real problem keeping things to herself. Or so it seemed. Pan's track record had been somewhat clean before now. Somewhat. Throughout their youth, Bra would share some secrets with Pan. She told Pan about the time she wrecked her brother's first capsule motorcycle. No one ever found out about that. She'd told Pan about when she lost the diamond necklace her mother gave her for her 14th birthday. No one knows about that to this day. So, Pan WAS pretty good at keeping certain secrets from certain people. Especially from the people who shouldn't find out about them.

"Is something wrong? You look like you're in your own little world," Pan said.

Bra shook her head.

Pan frowned. "Oh, no. Not the silent treatment again. You've really gotta learn to open up."

Bra sighed and rolled her eyes. "You know I can't say anything here."

"Why not?" Pan asked.

All of the questions and chit-chat was getting on Bra's nerves. She wasn't sure if Pan had gone loco on her or what. She knew that if anyone at this school found out about a student/teacher romance, everything would be in an uproar. She couldn't let the students and faculty find out about her and Goten.

"Listen, we can just talk about this after school when less people are crowded around," Bra suggested. "I don't feel right talking about this here."

Pan nodded. "Wow. Must be something big and important."

Bra turned her attention to the front of the classroom. What was she going to tell Pan? That Goten was pretty much with her, but he was seeing someone else? How do you let someone know something like that? How do you tell someone that you let your "boyfriend" go out with another woman as a cover for your own relationship? Would Pan understand if she told her?

--End Stand Up--

--Hello! Sorry again about the long wait. I've got way too much on my plate these days. But that's not gonna stop me from getting these episodes out at some point or another. So, if it takes a while for them to come out, just remember that they ARE coming. It just takes a little more time these days.

--Enough of that. Thank you for reading this episode of Versus 2. I hope you enjoy reading this series as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks for your reviews and all your support. If you have comments, critiques or suggestions, please let me know. TTFN.


	21. Grind

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Grind--

Bra couldn't think straight throughout the next few classes. Her mind was on other things. Things like how she could let Goten basically date his ex-girlfriend again. Things like why she didn't stop all of this once their families found out. Things like why she suggested such an off-the-wall plan in the first place. Things like why Goten would continue with this charade even after their families found out.

She would have to straighten all of this out. Of course, that was easier said than done. There was no way she would be able to change what had already been done. So there was only one alternative left. Ruin their date. And who better to ask about ruining things than Pan. She was Prankster of the Year two years running at their school. Maybe if she let her in on what was going on, she would be able to help. Sure, she had her doubts about whether Pan could keep her mouth shut, but Pan WAS her only friend. She was the only person Bra could turn to at times like these. And wasn't that what friendship meant? Being able to go to that person whenever things looked their bleakest?

It was now her favorite time of the day. Lunchtime. A time when she was able to listen to her music in peace. Today she'd chosen to listen to Gov't Mule's song, 'Painted Silver Light.' Soulful vocals that touched listeners in a way they never thought they'd be touched. Of course, what else could be expected from former Allman Brothers Band members? Only the best from the best.

Why she always chose to roam the halls during lunch instead of eat with the normal people was hard to say. Her appetite was certainly big enough to stick around and eat anything that wasn't moving. Maybe it was simply because she was who she was--the antisocial Saiyan princess. Maybe it was because she was an outcast.

Or maybe she was just stalking Goten and she didn't know it. She found herself standing outside his classroom door once again. This man had quickly become a celebrity during the first two weeks of school. The same four girls who were with him the other day were with him again, only this time, one had been added to the group. The five girls were giggling as he sat atop his desk talking to them.

Bra was furious. She really shouldn't let things like that get to her, but she had a tendency to be quick-tempered when she shouldn't be. Going into that classroom and blasting those little hens to oblivion would have been fine in Bra's book. Unfortunately, life didn't work that way. She had to remind herself that violence was never the answer.

Then again, violence seemed to get her father the things HE wanted. It wasn't fair that the rule worked in one situation and it didn't work in another. It wasn't fair at all. Of course, when she thought about it, Vegeta was NOT, in fact, getting what he wanted because Bra was still going to see plenty of Goten whether he liked it or not.

So, she decided that violence truly wasn't the answer whether your name was Bra or Vegeta. But just because she had decided not to use violence didn't mean that she wouldn't break up their little gathering.

Bra opened the door and everyone in the room looked over at her. The five girls were both shocked and frightened. Ah, how wonderful it was to be feared.

Goten smiled at her. "Hey, Bra. We were just discussing Ancient Egypt. It seems one of your classmates would like to study Egyptology when she goes to college."

Bra frowned. "Actually, I came to call your attention to a different matter." She looked at the other girls in the classroom and they scampered away like a bunch of frightened mice.

Goten looked confused. "No one seems to want to stick around when you show up."

"What can I say? I'm a legend at this school," Bra told him. She shrugged. "But that's not what I'm here to discuss." She went over and leaned against Goten's desk next to where he was sitting.

"Oh? What is it?" Goten asked with a look of concern on his face.

Was it right to tell Goten that he shouldn't see Paris anymore? He'd already gone to the trouble of asking her out again. And with the amount of flip-flopping that had been going on lately, it probably wasn't a good idea to cancel.

Bra sighed. Keeping their relationship from the students and faculty should have been the easy part, yet it was giving Bra a headache. "I was just going to say that...keeping your date with Paris is the right thing to do...." Did she really say that? Wasn't there something else she was supposed to say?

Goten frowned. That obviously wasn't something he wanted to hear. "I guess so. I hope you don't mind, but I kinda promised her that we'd spend the whole afternoon together. So you and I won't be able to have tutoring today."

Oh, boy. He'd cancelled their tutoring session. It was really the only chance they had to be together. Especially since they wouldn't be able to spar together anymore. If her father felt their energies while they were fighting, he would hunt them down and tear them both limb from limb.

Bra felt a change in her heart rate. It's true that she was angry, but she really had no right to be. She took a deep breath and nodded. "That's fine," she managed to say calmly. She could feel the last of her nerves snapping. She tried to keep telling herself that it wouldn't be so bad. It was just one afternoon.

"Whew!" Goten exhaled. "I thought you might be upset." As he said that, the bell for the next class rang. "Hey, I'm glad you're being so understanding about this."

Why shouldn't she be understanding? He was only spending the entire afternoon with his ex-girlfriend. No big deal. NO BIG FREAKIN' DEAL!! She took another deep breath. "Mm hm," she muttered. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that she was gone. She didn't even wait for a good-bye from Goten. If she had stayed any longer she may have self-destructed.

--later that afternoon--

Bra couldn't believe that her tutoring session had been cancelled. And all because of Goten's "date" with the red-head. Just because he stood her up last time didn't mean he should put off THEIR time together. Bra was furious. She was furious with herself most of all. She should have ended it. Killing school faculty wasn't so unusual....

She sat at one of the picnic tables in front of the school wondering what she would do for the next few hours. She hated to go home so soon. Her mother would want to "talk" and Bra really didn't need that. Her mom was always trying to get close to her with that whole "talking" thing. If she didn't realize that Bra wasn't interested in "talking," then how could her mother ever be close to her? She didn't even understand her own daughter's state of mind. Which brought her back to the ever-elusive question: How did her mother and father ever get together and stay together for so long? They were so different it wasn't even funny. She'd asked herself that question at least a thousand times. It made no sense....

"Looks like you've got a lot on your mind," someone said from behind her.

Bra immediately recognized the voice as her only friend's. She turned to face the smiling Pan. A true Son at heart. It may have been the only reason she'd remained friends with Pan for so long. Even though the quarter Saiyan was quite the troublemaker when she wanted to be, she had the sincere kindness and sometimes utter brainlessness of the males on the Son side. Not that the Sons weren't intelligent. They just tended to...how could she put it? Lean more toward the instinctual. They lived their lives on instinct and the bare essentials. They rarely thought plans through before carrying them out. And if they did think a plan through, it was probably something that revolved around fighting. So in the case with Pan, it mostly revolved around pranks.

Pan waved her hand in front of Bra's face. "This is ground control calling all space cadets. Do you copy? Over."

She grabbed Pan's hand and cast it aside playfully. "I copy, you clown. I was just thinking about something." It was enough to make Bra smile.

"You didn't say 'over,'" Pan reminded her. She laughed. "You've been weird all day. Does this have something to do with what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Great. She had to remind her of THAT. She'd stopped thinking about THAT for the moment. Why, oh, why did she ever agree to talk to Pan about this huge mess...? Oh, yeah! In order for her to help her get out of it. It made so much more sense when you added it up.

"Actually, no. Totally unrelated matter," Bra told her.

"Sooooooo, what did you want to talk to me about?" Pan asked. She raised an eyebrow.

Bra looked around. Would now be a good time to tell Pan about Paris and Goten? There weren't many students around. Most of them took the bus home. It would definitely kill some time and she wouldn't have to go home early. But telling her about it AND devising a plan of action would take some time....

"Do you think your mom and dad would mind if I came over this afternoon?" Bra asked.

"You know they don't care. You're always welcome in our home," Pan replied. "That's what Mom and Dad would say."

"Good. Because we have a lot of work to do," Bra said.

--End Grind--

--Oops. It seems that the wait on this particular part has been the longest of them all. I'm really sorry about that. And I hate to say it, but it's not a very good chapter at that. Maybe there'll be more fun to come.

--Thank you for reading this episode of Versus 2. To be honest with you, I thought I'd never get back to it. But working back to back 12 hour shifts leaves little time for fun. And you know what they say. All work and no play makes SludgeMetal666...something--something....

--Thanks for past reviews. I appreciate those of you who are sticking with me through these hard times. I hope things will get better.


	22. Bring It On

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Bring It On--

Once they arrived at Pan's house, she twisted the doorknob only to find it was locked. "Aw, man. My mom and dad aren't home yet." She bent down and lifted the welcome mat in front of the door to reveal a house key. Pan presented the key and winked at Bra. "The last time they locked me out of the house, they came home to a broken down door." She unlocked the door and opened it.

Bra shook her head. Pan undoubtedly gave her parents trouble everyday. She wasn't sure how they put up with her.

She walked into the house that she remembered from her childhood. It looked exactly the same. Cleaned from top to bottom, filled with books and lit brightly. Boy, did they have a lot of books.

"Have a seat. Do you need anything?" Pan asked, tossing her book bag haphazardly on the floor.

Bra's stomach made a familiar noise. Oh, yeah. She'd missed lunch today. She missed lunch quite often these days. "Got anything to eat?"

Just as Bra settled down on the sofa, Pan spoke up. "Ha! I hope you don't expect me to get it for you. On the first visit, you're a guest. After that, you're family. You may as well be family anyway. So you can just get up from there and find something for yourself."

Bra frowned. "You know nothing of hospitality." She stood and headed toward the kitchen.

Pan sat on the sofa where Bra was about to sit a moment ago and grinned. "Hey, I'm doing YOU the favor by letting you come here. Now while you're at it, make about 6 ham and cheese sandwiches for me. That should get the day started."

Oh, no she didn't. Bra marched right over to Pan, grabbed her by the ear and dragged her into the kitchen. "As much trouble as you've caused me this week, I should make you my personal slave."

"Ow, ow, ow. Okay, okay, okay. I was only kidding. Let me go," Pan pleaded. She escaped from Bra's grasp and sat on the kitchen counter.

Bra smirked and opened the refrigerator. It was full now, but by the time she was done with it, there would surely be nothing left. She pulled out the ham of which Pan had spoken and looked at it for a long time. "Mmmm.... Meat...."

"So, what's been going on?" Pan asked.

Bra once again wondered if telling Pan about all of this was the right thing to do. Unfortunately, it was her only option at the time. She couldn't imagine what things might be like if she had to deal with this on her own. Besides, Pan could always come up with something devilish without it being devastating. No more holding back information. Here we go....

--soon--

It took Bra a long time to find the words to explain to Pan what exactly was happening in her and Goten's 'relationship,' but Pan listened patiently. She told her about the fact that Goten was dating Paris, yet at the same time was somewhat seeing her. She told Pan that it was all her idea to start with. And she told Pan that she only wanted him to go out with Paris so that no one would suspect that THEY were together.

Pan looked at Bra strangely for a while. "Okay. So let me make sure I've got this right. You wanted to keep your relationship from being broadcast all over school, so you told Uncle Goten to start dating someone else?"

Bra nodded slowly.

"Not just ANYONE else, but his ex-girlfriend from college? That wasn't very smart," Pan told her bluntly.

Before she could comprehend what she was doing, Bra had reached over and started choking Pan.

"Knock it off!" Pan said, casting Bra's hand aside.

"I know it wasn't the smartest move in the book. But I couldn't think of any other way," Bra said, folding her arms across her chest. "Now, I didn't come here for you to evaluate my plan. I came here for you to help me out of the mess I've made."

Pan looked at Bra out of the corner of her eye. "You expect ME to help you get out of this. I have to say that I'm flattered. You've never been one to ask for help, even in the worst of situations."

"Well, are you gonna help me out or not?" Bra asked.

Pan smiled that fiendish smile of hers. "Hm. It gives me a whole new reason to come up with something evil to do to school faculty outside of school hours. You say they're together now?"

Bra finished off the rest of the ham. "I think they're spending the whole afternoon together. That's why we didn't have tutoring today."

Pan nodded thoughtfully. She was silent for a while. What was in this girl's head? Would the amount of devilment she seemed so willing to go through with be enough to scare off the red-head for good? There was only one way to find out....

"What's going on inside that head of yours?" Bra asked.

Pan smirked. "We're gonna have to take a hands-on approach on this one. What we're gonna have to do is...." She started telling Bra what her plan was.

--at one of the finest restaurants in town--

Pan was so much better at locating people who weren't using their energy than Bra was. The two of them sprang up from behind some bushes and peeped into the restaurant.

"There they are," Pan said, spotting Goten and Paris.

As the 'couple' dined, Paris was clucking away like the hen she was, while Goten played at his food. He looked bored. Real bored.

"Alright," Bra said. She sighed. "Now, why's Marron here?"

Marron emerged from the bushes. "I'm the other woman in Goten's life, remember? I'm supposed to go in and make a huge scene in front of everyone."

"Okay. Why's the baby here? Who's kid is that?" Bra asked.

Marron held a 7-month-old child in her arms. "Oh, him? This is one of the other designer's baby. I take care of him on days she works late. He posing as Goten's illegitimate son. Isn't that right, Nicholas?"

Bra rolled her eyes. "Well, that makes sense. But what I really don't understand is why Trunks is here."

Trunks came out of the bushes as well. "I'm not gonna miss out on all the fun."

"AAAAAA!!!!!!" Marron and Pan screamed.

"How did you find out about this?" Marron asked.

Trunks laughed villainously. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Okay, everything's in place. All we have to do is sally forth. We'll find some seats in the back of the restaurant while Marron puts on her little show. Let's do it," Pan commanded.

The Briefs, Marron and little Nicholas headed into the restaurant.

--End Bring It On--

--Hello once again. This was a silly little chapter. Thanks for reading it and I hope you all enjoyed it.

--Now that there's a plan of action, we'll just have to see what happens. Please stay tuned for the next episode of Versus 2. Please review and let me know what you liked or what you didn't like. And as always, thanks for the past reviews.


	23. Enemy Sighted, Enemy Missed

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Enemy Sighted, Enemy Missed--

Bra, Pan and Trunks sat in a dark corner in the restaurant. Bra hoped that Goten wouldn't feel their energies. Her brother and her best friend were pretty smart. They were suppressing theirs like she was. She could only hope that this off-the-wall scheme would work. She wasn't sure what she expected to come of this, but it was a plan. And that was something she didn't have.

She was surprised that Marron would agree to a stunt like this. Bra never really liked Marron much, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. But she was kind enough to take part in this evil plot that could quite possibly destroy Goten's reputation. There was only one way to find out whether Pan's idea would fall the way they needed it to.

There was a lot of random prattle in the restaurant, so they would all have to concentrate in order to hone in on what Paris and Goten were saying. Bra was beginning to feel remorse already. It wasn't like her to butt into someone else's affairs like this. She knew that she wouldn't want someone to do this to her. But it was for a good reason, wasn't it? It was for the bettering of THEIR relationship, right?

Marron quickly made her way over to Goten and Paris's table. She looked like she was quite angry. Bra thought that this woman might actually make a good actress if she went into the business.

Both Goten and Paris looked up from their dinners.

Marron remained silent holding Nicholas in her arms.

"Hey there, Marron," Goten greeted in his usual cheerful way. "I didn't even know you were here. What's up?"

Paris narrowed her eyes at Marron.

"Don't 'what's up' me," Marron said sternly. "I can't believe you abandoned us like that."

Goten looked utterly confused.

"Wait a minute, Goten! Who's she?!" Paris asked.

Goten furrowed his brow. "Oh, this is a friend of mine. Marron. Marron, this is Paris."

Marron ignored Paris altogether. "A 'friend' of yours?" This woman was really putting on a show. It's like she believed the lie.

Goten was still confused. "Marron, you're kinda weirding me out here. Hey, who's the little guy?" He waved to the little boy Marron was holding.

"He's our son," Marron said plainly.

Paris looked at Goten angrily. "What is she talking about, Goten?"

Goten raised an eyebrow. Then he laughed. "Oh, I get it. This is some kind of joke."

Marron looked as if she might explode. "THIS IS NOT A JOKE!! HOW COULD YOU?! YOU WON'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE OUR RELATIONSHIP?! YOU WON'T EVEN CLAIM YOUR OWN SON?!"

"But Marron, this doesn't make any--" Goten began.

Marron handed over the boy. "His name is Nicholas. He's seven months old. And he's your son. So you'd better start taking some responsibility."

Goten held the child and looked at him strangely.

"Goten, what is this all about?" Paris asked.

"So, this is the reason you left?" Marron question, well on the verge of weeping. "You left me pregnant and ran off with this skank?"

"Skank?! Who do you think you're calling a skank?!" Paris asked. Her usual sugar-sweet tone was now the voice of an angry pre-pubescent girl. She stood from her seat.

Goten couldn't get a word in edge-wise. And little Nicholas had started to cry.

--at the other table--

"I don't know if this was such a good idea," Bra said, watching the two women argue. "Maybe we should have let Goten in on our plan first."

Pan cringed. "Oh, yeah. I didn't think about that."

Trunks was laughing.

"What's so funny?" both Bra and Pan asked simultaneously.

"You two call THIS a plan? It would have been a better idea to get some woman off the streets to do it instead of sending Marron over there. He knows her," Trunks replied. He chuckled under his breath. "If he knows her like that then he knows he never slept with her. At least with someone he doesn't know, there's always the possibility that he just doesn't recognize her."

Bra frowned and looked at Pan.

Pan grinned nervously and shrugged. Then she looked at Trunks. "Why didn't you tell us this outside?! You heard the plan!" she yelled.

"Cause it's funnier this way. It's like a messed up reality show," Trunks said, still laughing.

--back at Paris and Goten's table--

"What was that? I could swear I know that voice," Goten interceded.

"Don't go changing the subject! I want to know what's going on!" Paris shouted. She stood with her hands on her hips.

"I'll tell you what's going on! This is a man who won't own up to something he's done!" Marron yelled.

"Okay, Marron, this is getting a little out of hand. I don't know what you're up to, but we've never slept together and you've never been pregnant," Goten said.

Silence....

A long silence....

Bra was certain that this was the end of Pan's plan. And if Paris knew Goten like she knew Goten, then she'd know that he was telling the truth.

"I...can't believe it.... You're in denial." Marron had tried to make a recovery.

Goten ignored her. He looked at Little Nicky and started playing with him. "Who's baby is this, anyway?"

Marron took Nicholas away from Goten. "I'll see you in court." And with that she walked out of the restaurant.

Paris sat back down and looked at Goten angrily. "Was that woman telling the truth?"

"NO! I've never even been with her like that. Marron? Noooooooo. She's like my sister," Goten said. "We grew up together."

"Then why would she pull a stunt like that?" Paris asked. She still didn't seem to believe him.

Goten shrugged. "She was probably just trying to pull a prank on me. Of course, Marron's never been much of a prankster...," he muttered. Then it seemed a light came on in Goten's head. "A prankster." He frowned. "My niece did this."

"Oh, the girl with the black hair in your first class? The one everyone thinks is your sister?" Paris asked.

--at the corner table--

"Busted. We'd better get out of here," Pan suggested.

Trunks looked at the ceiling. "I can't believe you two actually tried to pull off something like that. Especially when you know Goten's not that bright."

Bra growled. "Yeah, like you could come up with a better plan."

Trunks laughed. "If that's a challenge, then you're on, little sister."

--End Enemy Sighted, Enemy Missed--

--Welcome once again. This is your host, SludgeMetal666. I know this was a short chapter. Sorry about that. And I know it's a little silly. Sorry about that too. I hope you enjoyed it.

--Some of you may be wondering: Does she ever plan on finishing this story? Yes, I do. I just have to find out what's going to happen first. You'd think I'd have a plan when I go into this stuff, but as you know from previous episodes, I don't. So, I apologize for seeming a little...I don't know. You can come up with your own word for it.

--As always, thank you for reading this episode of Versus 2. And thank you for the past reviews. Without people who actually like this story, there would be no story. If you have suggestions, comments or criticisms, please let me know. Thanks again.

--Oh, yeah, I meant to mention that idea for this chapter was absolutely hilarious! You know who I'm talking to. Unfortunately, I'd finished the chapter before I read the suggestion. Sorry. Maybe next time.


	24. Search and Destroy

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Search and Destroy--

--back at Goten and Paris's table--

Paris stared angrily at Goten for a long time.

Goten raised an eyebrow. "What?"

Paris narrowed her eyes. "So, why would your cousin do something like this?"

"She's not my cousin. She's my niece," Goten corrected.

"Right," Paris said doubtfully. "So, why would your NIECE do something like this?"

Goten shrugged. "Why does she do ANY of the things she does? Maybe I should be asking you. You're the behavior specialist."

"It's not your cousin--" Paris began.

"Niece," Goten interrupted.

"Fine. It's not your niece I'm concerned about," Paris continued. "It's that girl and that baby. You're sure you didn't get her pregnant?"

Goten's eyes were like saucers. "Are you serious? Believe me, Paris. Nothing went on between me and Marron."

"Hmm.... She seemed pretty convinced that that was your child," Paris pointed out.

"Like I said before, Marron's never even been pregnant," Goten said.

Paris smiled. "Then I'll take you at your word. It's all a man has, right?"

--the corner table--

Pan rolled her eyes. "Are you guys coming or what? We've been found out, you know."

Trunks stood. "Yeah, we'd better split."

Bra just walked out and the other two followed.

--soon--

"Now, I know that for some strange reason, Goten is seeing some woman and it's not you. Am I right so far?" Trunks asked his sister.

The four of them--Trunks, Bra, Pan and Marron--sat on a bench in the park. Marron had taken her temporary child back to his parents.

Bra nodded. "That's right."

Trunks looked befuddled. "Okay. So, do you mind filling me in on how that happened?"

Bra was becoming irritated with her brother now. That was always easy to do. Real easy. "The thing about that is that I told him to go out with her as a cover-up in order to keep people at school from finding out about us."

"Do you have any idea how stupid that sounds?" Trunks questioned.

"Shut up! You would have done the same thing if you were in my shoes! I don't want Goten getting into trouble because I'm under age!" Bra shouted. "Not to mention the fact that I'm also his student."

Trunks rolled his eyes. "Alright. I'll pretend that's justifiable. So what's the problem? He's going out with her just like you wanted."

"I.... Shut up!" Bra said. She was operating on a short fuse these days. And a short fuse would get her nowhere. She stood and paced.

"I think what she's trying to say is that she dug herself a nice little ditch and she needs help getting out," Pan translated.

Bra shot Pan a look that would have knocked down a cement wall. Of course, the Son girl was much more resilient than a cement wall, so the look was in vain.

"Aw, come here, little sis," Trunks said. He stood and put his arm around Bra like he was about to hug her, then put her in the headlock. "You're a real basket case, you know that? What were you thinking?"

Marron laughed. "That's the way to get through to her."

Bra felt her own power careening out of control and before she realized what was going on, she'd gone Super Saiyan. The force of her aura knocked Trunks flat on his back.

"Hey, Bra. Calm down. What are you trying to do? Get us caught?" Pan asked. She put her hand on Bra's shoulder. "Just chill out. Do some deep knee bends or something. Work some of that energy off."

Bra growled and powered back down. "Trunks, you're dancing on my last nerve. Are you gonna help me or not?"

Trunks sat on the grass and thought for a moment. "I don't know. He IS my best friend. I wouldn't wanna do anything to jeopardize our friendship.... If I come up with a plan, you're gonna owe me big."

Pan hopped to her feet and gasped. "I hate to interrupt this tender moment, but I think we've got a bigger problem on our hands." She pointed up in the sky.

Marron, Trunks and Bra turned and gazed upward.

There floated Vegeta. He levitated in the air with his arms folded across his chest. And he was staring right at them.

Bra swallowed hard. What was he doing here? Had he been tracking them all along, or had he felt her energy surge a few moments ago? Either way, they were all looking at him now.

Vegeta landed in front of them without a sound.

Great. Like Bra didn't already have enough problems in her life.

"I know he's here somewhere," Vegeta said, scanning the area.

No one was brave enough to ask to whom the madman referred. Bra knew that he was talking about Goten. And if the others were smart, they'd know as well.

"Where is the youngest son of Kakarot hiding?" Vegeta asked harshly. He looked right at his daughter.

Bra took a deep breath. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to destroy the youngest son of Kakarot," Vegeta told her plainly. Her father wasn't usually one to bite his tongue. "I know you've been seeing him, even though I told you not to."

Trunks, Marron and Pan had backed away from them.

"Seeing him? The only reason I see him is because I'm in his class!" Bra shouted. She looked at her feet. "Besides, he's not here. He's out on a date."

Vegeta was silent at first and when Bra looked up, she saw that he was watching her.

"What do you mean, he's out on a date?" Vegeta asked.

The backs of Bra's eyes had begun to sting. She couldn't cry again in front of her father again. It would only make things worse. So she took another deep breath to steady her voice. "Just what I said. He's out on a date."

Vegeta furrowed his brow. There was something different about her father's anger now. She couldn't be sure what it was. "Then you know where he is?"

"No, I don't," Bra lied.

Vegeta growled, then looked over at the others. He marched over and looked at each one of them. "Where is Kakarot's youngest brat?" he questioned Trunks first.

Trunks shrugged. "He didn't tell me anything."

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at his son. He looked at Marron and obviously decided against talking to her. He looked at Pan. "You know where the brat is, don't you?"

Pan shook her head.

"You know how to find him," Vegeta said. "Kakarot is always bragging about your ability to track suppressed energies. I want you to take me to him."

It was unusual for Bra to see her father ask for help. Well, he wasn't really asking. He was telling. But it was his way of saying 'I can't do this on my own, so I want you to help me.' Now there was only one thing left to ask. What would Vegeta do when he found Goten this time?

Pan looked surprised. She looked around, probably hoping to get some sort of support from her friends. All Trunks, Bra and Marron could do was look at her.

She frowned. "Yes, sir."

--End Search and Destroy--

--Hello again. Sorry this episode was so short and strange. But there are more twists and turns on the way.

--Thanks for reading this episode of Versus 2. And thank you all for your reviews.

--I don't have a lot to say today. Just keep an eye out for the next chapter.


	25. Zero Hour

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Zero Hour--

Trunks, Pan, Marron and Bra stood and watched from a distance as Vegeta made his way toward the restaurant.

Goten and Paris were just leaving when the group arrived. They seemed to be in the middle of an argument.

"Man, when you said you were gonna take me at my word I thought that you'd drop the subject," Goten said to his date.

Paris gave Goten an angry look. "I said that so you could have a chance to tell me the truth."

"I told you the truth! What do you want? A written essay? A panel of witnesses?" Goten asked. "Geez! When you say you believe someone, then you're supposed to believe them!" He threw his hands up in the air. He didn't look very happy.

"I'm gonna give you a chance to think about this whole baby thing. I want you to sort out whatever is going on. Then I want you to come to work tomorrow and let me know the TRUTH about the whole situation," Paris said. She pulled out a cell phone and turned her back to him. "I'm calling a cab to take me home."

Goten rolled his eyes.

Vegeta appeared right behind Goten. "Hi there."

Goten turned to where the voice was coming from. He looked surprised to see the visitor. "Vegeta. Hi. Um, what are you doing here?"

"It seems you've caused my daughter a great deal of pain," Vegeta told him. He transformed into a Super Saiyan. "And I've decided to return the favor!" He punched Goten across the face and sent him flying through a nearby building with a loud crash.

Paris turned toward the sound and screamed. "Goten! Are you okay?" She looked at Vegeta. "I'm calling the police!" She flipped her phone open again and when she put it to her ear, Vegeta blasted it to ash.

The Super Saiyan smirked. "Looks like you'll have to call them long distance."

Paris screamed and fainted.

During the phone incident, Bra took the opportunity to fly over to where Goten had fallen. She started desperately digging him out from beneath the rubble. "Goten, please be okay...," she whispered.

Goten sat up and coughed. "Oi. And I thought YOU hit hard." He adjusted his jaw.

Bra smiled. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Goten looked past her. "Not for long." He slowly stood up and stared at Vegeta angrily. "Vegeta, what are you thinking? You can't do things like that in the middle of the city. Look at the damage you've done."

Ah, just like Goten to think of other people's welfare first.

"No amount of damage will be enough to make up for what you've done to Bra," Vegeta stated. He ascended to Super Saiyan 2 and jetted toward Goten.

"PAPA! STOP THIS!" Bra yelled. She moved Goten behind her.

Vegeta stopped dead in his tracks. "What are you doing, child? He's about to get what's coming to him."

"I'm not letting you do this. Fighting him isn't going to change the way I feel about him," Bra said to her father.

"That may be. But killing him will change the way you deal with it," Vegeta retorted.

"Well, if you kill him, you may as well kill me. Because I can't live without him," Bra said.

Vegeta looked at Bra for a long time. "Then there's only one thing that can be done."

Bra looked at her father and tried her best to control her breathing. Inhale. Exhale.. Inhale... Exhale.... Inhale.....

"I will allow you to see each other," Vegeta announced.

Bra looked surprised and exhaled. Then she ran over, jumped up and hugged Vegeta around the neck. "Oh, papa!" She kissed him on the cheek.

"But...," Vegeta continued. He glared at Goten. "If you ever, EVER do anything to hurt her, I won't hesitate to introduce you to your death."

Goten goofily saluted Vegeta. "Sir, yes, sir!"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Goten, but Goten only smiled that Son smile.

Marron, Pan and Trunks came out of hiding.

"Oh, man. This is great! Congratulations, you two!" Pan squealed. Tears of joy came to her eyes.

Marron looked straight up.

Trunks smiled a little.

Bra ran over to Goten, jumped up and hugged him around the neck. She kissed him long and hard. Her head was spinning from all the excitement.

"Um, I don't think we should be doing this here," Goten whispered. He looked past her.

Bra turned and looked at her father, who had an angry look on his face. She turned back to Goten. "I think you're right."

--End Zero Hour--

--Okay, so this chapter was super short. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know what you think.

--It's an official countdown to the end of Versus 2. There's one more chapter left. I know it came about suddenly, but I didn't know how this chapter would turn out until it happened.

--If you have questions you want to ask, now is the time to do it. There won't be much time to ask between now and the end of the story.

--Thank you for reading this installment of Versus 2: The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret. Thank you for all your past reviews. And thank you for all your support and patience during the hard times.

--Oh, yeah. For those of you who might be interested, I've finally added a bio. I don't know WHY anyone would be interested, but it's there.


	26. Wonder What's Next

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Wonder What's Next--

Bra looked at her mother strangely. "Are you still talking about a wedding? We're not even officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet."

"You may as well be. I can't believe you're finally going on your first date this weekend! I'm so excited!" Bulma exclaimed.

The woman was acting as if SHE were the one going on the date.

"The part I don't understand is why Dad came to his senses all of a sudden and gave us permission to start seeing each other," Bra said. Maybe her father had finally accepted that she was no longer his baby girl.

"Well, you know your father. He does some of the strangest things for the strangest reasons sometimes," Bulma told her.

Bra frowned. "I don't know. Maybe he did it so we'd let our guard down. Then when the moment is right, he'll make his move."

Bulma smiled. "Knowing how your father is, he'll probably never tell us why he gave you permission to see Goten. I think he just likes to be a big mystery."

Bra shrugged and checked the time. Uh, oh. She was about to be late for school. "I gotta go, Mom. I'll see you tonight." She hurried out of the house. She wasn't sure why she'd stuck around to talk to her mother anyway. Normally she just headed straight out of the house. Maybe things in her life were starting to turn around. Maybe she was learning to accept her mother's love of conversation. Maybe she was even learning to converse more as well.

--soon--

Class had already started. She couldn't believe she was late to this class. Her most important class. She walked into the classroom and looked at Goten.

"Welcome to class, Bra," Goten said. He looked at his clock. "You're 5 minutes late. That means you owe me some time in detention this afternoon," he added sternly. He wrote something in his grade book.

Bra looked confused. What was his deal today? He let everybody else slide on how late they came to class. Why was he giving her a hard time about it? She took her usual seat.

"Hey, Bra," Pan whispered from behind her.

If Pan kept this up, she'd probably get into even more trouble. "I'd rather not talk right now, Pan," Bra whispered.

"Come on. I wanna talk about what happened yesterday," Pan said quietly.

"I've already got detention. I don't want to get in any more--" Bra began.

"The ladies in the back corner over there like chatting, I see. Well, I was going to give you a 25-question multiple choice test tomorrow, but I see I'm going to have to change that," Goten announced. "I think I'll make it a 25-question fill-in-the-blank test with 4 short essay questions."

Everyone in the class groaned and gave Bra and Pan dirty looks.

Was Goten okay? He seemed irritable. Almost angry. She'd have to get an explanation after class.

In the mean time, she would have to return a threatening look to the rest of the class. Had they forgotten who she was? The students who had given her the looks now looked frightened and turned their attention back to their teacher. Yep. That was more like it. Bra smiled to herself.

--later--

"Now, don't forget to study tonight for that test tomorrow. It's your first test, so don't take it too lightly," Goten said to the class. He began erasing the blackboard.

As the rest of the students left the class, Bra just sat in her seat. Pan gave her one last look before leaving the room.

They were alone now. She was free to say anything that was on her mind, but she hesitated. There was something that kept her from asking all the questions that she wanted to ask. She should feel comfortable talking to Goten about anything, yet she wasn't able to speak for some reason.

When Goten finished erasing the board, he kept his back turned to Bra. "Something was bothering me last night. I couldn't get it out of my head...." He paused for a while.

Bra only sat silently and waited for him to continue.

Goten folded his arms across his chest. "Why was everyone there when Vegeta showed up?" He finally turned to look at her. "I mean, Trunks, Pan, even Marron was there. What was up with that?"

Bra was speechless. She wasn't sure what she should say. It should probably be the truth. But how could she say it. He was already acting strangely today. She didn't want to upset him, so she stayed quiet for a moment.

Goten sighed. "Okay, I'll ask it this way: Were you all following me when I went out with Paris?"

She couldn't seem to find her voice, so she just nodded instead.

Goten nodded. "And WHY were you all following me when I went out with Paris?"

She would have to speak in order to answer that question. Upon looking at him, she saw the seriousness on his face. She hated to see that look on his face. Especially when it was directed toward her. "I just wanted to.... The truth is.... I was jealous, okay?"

"Jealous? Why would you be jealous?" Goten asked.

Bra began to fidget a little. "Well--"

Before she was even able to explain herself, Paris came through the door. She was always right on time.

"Alright, Goten. I know how we can get through this," Paris said. Greeting neither Goten nor Bra, the red-head continued. "All you have to do is get custody of the baby and then WE can raise him together." She smiled. "How does that sound?"

Bra was slowly coming to a boil.

Goten looked at Paris strangely. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about raising that baby ourselves," Paris explained. "Then maybe we can give him some little brothers and sisters."

Bra was almost certain that Paris was talking about marriage and procreation. Was this woman asking Goten to marry her? She wasn't really sure how to react to any of this.

And obviously Goten wasn't either. He just stood there giving Paris a confused look. Then after a few minutes he finally spoke up. "Paris, that's not gonna happen. For one thing, that wasn't my child. For another thing, you and I were just going out as friends. I think you've misunderstood our relationship."

Paris looked angry. "What are you telling me, Goten?"

"I'm telling you that I don't think we should see each other anymore," Goten told her.

Paris gasped. "I can't believe this. You're breaking up with me again? I came to work at this school because I knew you were working here. I wanted a second chance with you. Why are you dumping me?"

"I'm dumping you because you're crazy," Goten said, nodding.

Bra had to stifle a laugh. This was all too funny for her to leave now. The bell for her next class rang about five minutes ago, but she didn't care today. One of her wishes was coming true right before her eyes.

"I don't understand," Paris whined. Tears had formed in her eyes.

"Well, let me break it down for you. You don't trust me. You think I have a child that I don't have. If you don't have trust in a relationship, there IS no relationship," Goten explained. "I don't want to be with someone who doesn't trust me. And I don't want you to be with someone you don't trust."

"Wait. I trust you Goten. If you say that baby isn't yours, then it isn't yours," Paris said, wide-eyed. "I believe you."

Goten gave Paris an irritated look. "We're done! It's over! Get outta my face!"

Paris began to weep and ran out of the classroom.

Bra raised an eyebrow.

Goten watched Paris leave. "Gosh. I kinda feel bad for her now. Maybe I was too harsh."

That was Goten. Even after cutting ties with Psycho Paris, he was thinking about her welfare. Bra sighed dreamily.

He turned to Bra. "Think I should go and apologize?"

Bra could only shrug. She never understood the Sons and their sympathies. SHE tried her best not to harbor such unnecessary emotions. But it must have been the human side that kept those feelings around sometimes. Right now was NOT one of those times. That woman was her enemy. She wouldn't take pity on her just because Goten would.

Goten looked at Bra for a while. Then he sighed. "You're missing all of your second period class. You're almost 15 minutes late." He began writing her out a pass.

"I thought we were gonna talk," Bra said.

"We can talk during detention. Don't forget that you have to come by after school," Goten reminded her. He gave her a very serious look.

Bra's heart stalled. She wasn't sure if he was angry at her or if he was just in a bad mood today. She hoped it was the latter of the two because she wasn't sure if she could deal with Goten being angry at her. Right now, it just seemed like he had it out for her.

--after school--

"Hey, Bra! Wait up! I wanna talk to you!" Pan called.

Bra was closing her locker when Pan showed up by her side. She just looked at her friend.

"What's going on? Uncle Goten's been really weird today. Did you find out anything?" Pan asked. She looked genuinely concerned.

Bra sighed. "I think he's mad at us for following him yesterday. I didn't get to talk to him very much." She looked toward Goten's classroom. "But he said he'd talk to me during detention." She was surprised that she was telling Pan this much. She usually kept things like this to herself. Normally, anyone who wanted to know something would have to find out on his or her own. But today, Bra was feeling generous.

Pan looked toward Goten's classroom also. "Well, I'd hate for you to keep him waiting. He's in a bad mood as it is. I'll call you tonight."

"Okay." Bra waved to Pan as she jogged down the hall toward the exit. Her heart was pounding now. She couldn't be sure what she should expect in a situation like this. She wasn't used to seeing Goten with this kind of attitude. She was used to footloose and fancy-free Goten, not this bitter Goten. He was too serious. He was almost acting like her father. She'd always had a lot of respect for Goten, but after seeing him today, it would definitely jump up a notch.

--End Wonder What's Next--

--It's true. I said that this was going to be the last episode. But I lied. There aren't many episodes left though. I'm just gonna TRY not to lie about when the last one is going to be again.

--Tell me what you think. This turn of events seems a little out of place to me. What's going to happen? Why is Goten all of a sudden so angry? Does he have reason to be?

--Thank you for reading this episode of Versus 2. And thanks again for all the reviews and all the support during these hard times. You are my inspiration.


	27. In the Fade

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--In the Fade--

Goten was just acting weird lately. It all started with the tie thing. He'd never worn a tie for work before, then all of a sudden he started wearing one yesterday. That was strange. Now he was angry at Bra for showing up during his date. Sure, it was wrong. Sure, she and the others had set things up for the destruction of the Paris and Goten 'relationship.' Sure, she pretty much lead her father to him, nearly resulting in the annihilation of the man she loved.... Where was she going with this again...?

She peeped into the classroom and saw Goten sitting at his desk, writing something. A little nervous about entering, she slowly walked into the room with her head bowed. She couldn't look at him. Especially with the way he'd been looking at her recently.

"There you are," Goten said.

Bra looked up at him anyway. There was no smile on his face. Where had her Goten disappeared to? She missed seeing his ever-present smile. Now he really actually looked his age.

"Here I am," Bra murmured.

Goten leaned back in his chair and kept looking at her. "Now, where did we leave off in our little conversation?"

Bra took a deep breath and looked at the desks that were close to the front of the classroom. She wondered if it was alright for her to sit down. She played with the straps of her book bag and looked back at Goten.

He was still just looking at her, waiting for an answer.

But she had no answer. She'd rather not talk at all.

"I think I remember you saying something about being jealous," Goten began. He folded his arms around his chest. "So why would you be jealous?"

Bra was still standing there wishing that she could disappear, but not daring to run away like she'd done so many times before. It was time for her to face her problems head on. "Well.... When I suggested that you date someone else, I didn't realize that it meant you'd have to spend a lot of time with that person.... And well, a lot of time with someone else is less time with me...." Was her behavior yesterday selfish? Yes. Was there probably a better way to go about handling the situation? Yes. Would she go back and change what she'd done? No. Especially when it gave her what she wanted in the end. For those two to stop going out.

She could hear Goten standing from his seat, but she dared not look at him. She wasn't sure what to think as he closed in on her. Was he so angry right now that he wanted to yell at her from a shorter distance? Or was he so angry that he was actually going to hit her? She wasn't sure why she thought those things. She wasn't sure why she thought ANY of the things she thought sometimes. Goten had never done anything like that before. But then again, he had never behaved this way toward her before....

Bra felt a hand on each of her shoulders and she did what she thought she would never be able to do again. She looked into those eyes. A dark pair of smiling eyes. Those were the cheerful eyes she remembered. But she was confused.

"You know, it's kinda flattering to hear you say that," Goten said. He smiled brightly. He was even blushing a little. "But I have to tell you the truth...."

Bra just looked at him with the most baffled expression. The truth? What was he talking about?

"Um.... Pan put me up to this. She told me what happened yesterday and said that I should do something to return the favor," Goten told her. He chuckled. "You should have seen the look on your face. Priceless."

Bra still looked confused. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I was supposed to SEEM angry about what happened last night," Goten informed.

"You mean, it was all a joke? Everything that's happened today was part of a prank?" Bra asked, still befuddled.

"Yeah. Well, everything except the Paris part." He raised an eyebrow. "I still feel kinda bad about that."

"I can't believe this! I can't believe you did that to me!" Bra shouted. She started hitting him on the chest playfully. Then she pouted in the cutest way she could.

Goten smiled his usual smile. "I'm sorry. I just had to see what would happen."

Bra smiled too. "Well, what about that killer test we're supposed to take tomorrow? Was that a part of the prank too?"

"Uhhhhh..., no. That was real," Goten clarified. He looked at the ceiling.

"So what about the tie thing? You didn't used to wear a tie," she pointed out.

"Tie?" Goten asked. He looked down at the tie he had on--a black and gold tie with blue dragon designs on it. "Oh, yeah. I was talking to the principle the other day and he told me to get my act together. I could either start wearing a tie or suspenders. I opted for the tie." He played at his tie.

"I'll bet you did," Bra said. She raised her eyebrows.

Goten put his arm around Bra's shoulder. "Let's get outta here. We've got a lot of studying to do if you want to pass that test tomorrow."

Bra nodded. She already knew that it was a bad idea for them to leave the classroom in this position. But it felt so wonderful to be so close to him again.

--at the library--

Goten sat in his usual seat while Bra stood at the open door.

"Do you plan on coming in some time today?" Goten asked with a goofy smile on his face.

One day she would have to figure out why she lingered in doorways so much. She took off her book bag and sat in her usual chair. Everything seemed so quiet now. She could almost hear her own heartbeat. She would never get used to being alone with this man.

Bra looked over at Goten and saw him staring back at her. It's true. It made her nervous. Somehow, she would have to overcome this plight. Her nervousness around the man she loved would have to come to an end. Could it be categorized as nervousness? Or was it something else? Did the feeling she had whenever she was alone with him have anything to do with nerves at all? Or was this a feeling of anticipation? What was she anticipating? She could feel her face grow warm and she began fumbling in her backpack for her book.

Whatever the case, she was very uncomfortable being there with him now. She cleared her throat. "Listen, Goten. I'm beginning to think I might be claustrophobic. Why don't we study outside somewhere?" she lied. That was a good way to assure that nothing happened. What COULD happen anyway? She wasn't sure. She just didn't want to find out.

"Aw. But I've already got my equipment out," Goten whined.

Bra gasped and her eyes got the size of grapefruits. What was she thinking?! He wasn't talking about THAT kind of equipment!! Man, she needed a cold shower or something! She chewed her bottom lip. "I'm sorry." She looked at his Teacher's Edition and the graphs, charts and maps he had laid upon the table.

Goten looked at her strangely. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I just.... It's such a pretty day. And I thought the fresh air would do us some good," Bra said.

"You're up to something, aren't you?" Goten asked, looking confused.

"No, no. I'm not up to anything. I'd just rather be somewhere less stuffy," Bra told him. She'd just told him three different things. She should have stuck with the first story. How could he unravel her like this? She was the daughter of Prince Vegeta. She should be able to deal with this sort of thing. Even if he did hold her heart in his hands.

"Alright, Bra. I can tell you're a little distracted," Goten finally spoke up. "We can go anywhere you want, but I want you to know that it's very important for me to teach you as much as I can between now and tomorrow. That test isn't gonna be easy."

Bra nodded. She would actually have to focus today. She would have to listen to all of this history mumbo-jumbo for at the very least 3 hours. But at least she had her choice of arenas. So where could they go that would be safe? Where would she NOT be tempted to do nothing but watch him the whole time? She sighed and thought for a long time.... If they went to a place with witnesses, then maybe she would force herself to concentrate on something other than the man who sat in front of her. Now...if only she could figure out where that place was....

Goten waved his hand in front of Bra's face to get her attention. She'd been much to deep in thought to realize he'd been talking to her. "Bra, are you listening to me? I asked where you wanted to go to study."

"Ummmmm...." If they went to her house, they'd be in the same situation they're in now except they'd have a BED. So no.... If they went to his apartment, Trunks would probably up and leave or something weird like that. Then they'd be in the same situation they're in now except they'd have a BED again. So no.... Did she have any other options...? Hmmm.... That's it!! She could always say that Pan needs to study too. That way three people would be in a room AND Pan's parents would be there. That's a great idea!

"How about your brother's house?" Bra asked. "You know, Pan could probably use some study-buddies."

"You know, you've got a point." Goten started putting his stuff back into his...briefcase? Well, it made sense. He WAS a teacher now. She'd just never noticed that he carried it around. "She pays less attention in class than you do." He laughed.

Bra gave Goten a sassy look. "Alright Mr. Son. Let's just get out of here."

When she stood to leave, she felt a pair of hands around her waist. Goten pulled her closer to him and looked up at her. "I know you're looking forward to studying," Goten began sarcastically, "but I wanna stay here just a little while longer."

There were those butterflies. She was almost sure that if she opened her mouth to say something, at least a couple of the little winged wonders would escape. "St-stay here?" Nope. No butterflies got out. And she had once again developed a bit of a stutter.

Goten was silent. He pulled Bra even closer, put his arms around her waist and lay his head on her abdomen. She couldn't be sure of exactly what he was doing, but she was having trouble breathing. Not because he was squeezing her too tightly. He wasn't squeezing her at all. But breathing had become almost impossible. And she knew that he heard her heartbeat. The rapid thumping inside her chest most likely echoed to where his ear was planted.

She didn't know what to do, so she just stood there. She was beginning to think that he'd never let her go. Of course, she didn't REALLY want him to. Eventually it would have to happen. But for the moment, she found herself stroking Goten's hair.

And all of a sudden Goten stood, nearly scaring the life out of poor Bra. The already deafening silence in the room became deadening as he stood staring at her. Then he smiled.

"Let's go," Goten said. He gathered his things and opened the door.

Bra took a deep breath. In a way this guy was really starting to worry her. It was amazing how weird Goten could be sometimes.

--End In the Fade--

--Welcome back. So you already knew that Goten wasn't really mad at her. That's no real shocker. You people know me too well.

--This story is doing things I didn't know it was gonna do. I'm not really sure what to think about it. I'm sure it'll end eventually.

--Thanks for reading the story that doesn't end. Well, like I already said, it'll end soon, I just don't know how or when. Thanks for your reviews. Let me know what you think.


	28. Price I Pay

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Price I Pay--

Gohan answered the door. "Hey, bro. What are you doing here?"

Genes were funny things. Goten looked just like his older brother and father. Of course, you could see a little of ChiChi in Gohan, but for the most part, they both took after their father. Maybe it was just because they were males. Now, in her family, it seemed her mother's side of the family had the dominant genes. Both she and Trunks primarily looked like their mother, even though Trunks tended to lean toward their father a bit in appearance. She wondered if she had a child with Goten whether it would come out looking more like her or like him....

"We just thought that Pan might need study partners," Goten explained. "Is she around?"

Gohan nodded. He looked past Goten and saw Bra standing there. He held up his hand. "Hi."

Typical Son greeting. Bra waved to Gohan.

He looked back at his younger brother. "She's in her room. She was telling me about this test you're giving tomorrow. Sounds pretty big." He moved out of the way to let them in.

"It's their first test," Goten said simply.

"Well, if you think it's best to lend her a helping hand, then be my guest," Gohan stated. "I'd like for her to make better grades this year. She barely passed some of her classes last year."

Videl walked into the room. "Are you talking to someone out here?" she asked her husband. She looked at their guests. "Oh! Hi, Goten. Hi, Bra."

"Hi, Videl," Goten greeted.

Bra only waved to her as well.

"So, how are things going? Are you really thinking about getting married? It'd be great to have a sister-in-law," Videl said, grabbing Bra's hands. She smiled.

Gohan looked at the ceiling. "Calm down, honey."

Bra blushed. Had Videl been talking to her mother or something? Why did these women automatically think about marriage when they saw that two people were together? She and Goten hadn't even been out on their first date yet.

"We'll wait and see what happens," Goten told her, sounding a bit nervous.

"Come on, Videl. They probably want to get some studying done before the night's over," Gohan whispered. He took her hands away from Bra's and lead her to the kitchen.

Bra and Goten stood in the living room in silence at first.

Goten cleared his throat. "Pan's in her room. She's probably studying right now."

"Yeah, right. Knowing her, she's probably snuck off to see how much damage she can cause," Bra guessed. She'd known Pan for a long time. It was highly unlikely that the girl was actually doing something she was supposed to be doing.

They made their way to Pan's room and found her sitting at her desk with her back to the door. She had her history book upright.

The girl was concentrating so intensely that she didn't even notice when Goten and Bra entered. As a matter of fact, she hadn't even made a move.

"Hey, Pan. We came over to help you study," Goten called to her.

The quarter Saiyan still made no move.

"Pan?" Goten said.

Both he and Bra walked over to Pan's desk and looked at her. The sneaky little devil was sleeping. Typical Pan-type-thing. She'd set everything up to look like she was studying when in actuality she was snoozing. And sitting upright at that. The prankster had come a long way since their youth. Bra laughed.

"I can't believe this. She's asleep," Goten muttered.

This young lady had made Bra believe one of the only things she'd ever truly feared in her life. That Goten was mad at her. And now she sat here staring at the backs of her eyelids comfortably. She wouldn't have it. How could this girl be completely without remorse for the things she pulled off?

Bra poked the napping nuisance on the shoulder. "Wake up!"

Pan opened her eyes and looked at Bra, a little surprised. "Oh, hey Bra. What are you doing here?"

"You are biggest jerk on the planet, you know that?!" Bra shouted. She folded her arms across her chest.

The tired look Pan had on her face quickly turned into a confused one. "What are you talking about?"

Bra leaned on Pan's desk. "Yeah, like you don't know. You told Goten to act like he was mad at me. Do you know how much trouble you almost caused?"

"Uh, yeah," Pan sang. "Trouble's my middle name, isn't it? It's what I do. Cause as much chaos as I possibly can." She looked over at her uncle. "Hi, Uncle Goten. What are you doing here?"

Bra could have slapped the taste out of Pan's mouth for taking the situation so lightly.

"We're here to help you study for the big test tomorrow," Goten told her gleefully.

Bra frowned. Pan wasn't even hearing what she had to day. Again, typical Pan. Why should she even try?

Pan furrowed her brow. "Study? Do you know what the word 'study' translates to in MY dictionary? Study means sleep. Or haven't you noticed that?"

Goten laughed. "Well, I can see that. But this test is really important."

"I don't doubt that it's important. I just know what will happen. You'll talk about history and I'll be off in the Land of Nod," Pan told him plainly.

"Don't you care about your grade?" Goten asked.

"Of course I do. But when it's time to study, my eyes say it's time to sleep," Pan said.

"How about this, Pan? You'll study with us or I'll tell your parents what you're really up here doing when they think you're studying," Bra suggested. This wasn't her style. Not at all. But if it kept Goten and her from studying alone together, then it was all worth it.

Pan pouted. "You're mean."

"Then maybe we can take you for ice cream afterwards," Goten interceded.

Pan smiled. "Yay!" she cheered.

Bra rolled her eyes.

--after studying--

Bra stared blankly at the book Goten had been 'teaching' out of for the past few hours. Presently she heard him fumbling with some charts he had in his briefcase, so she looked up to see what was going on. Oh. He was putting them back INSIDE the briefcase. She looked over at their study partner and saw that she was fast asleep. Poor Goten. It must have been a pain to try to get through to people who had absolutely no interest at all in what you were teaching. Every now and then, she would nod, but for the most part she was either watching him move or thinking about the next time they were alone together. She was actually just wasting his time with this whole tutoring thing. She felt kinda bad, but she couldn't help herself. Especially when he was looking so good in that oversized dress shirt and dragon tie.

"We covered a lot of ground today," Goten stated, putting everything away. He smiled.

Did he even notice that she wasn't paying attention? He seemed content with their study session.

"Don't you feel better about this test now that we've basically gone over the whole thing?" Goten asked.

Gone over the whole thing? Uh, oh. Maybe she should have been paying attention. Bra nodded slowly. This test was going to be a nightmare.

Goten looked at Pan. "And this one's a real sleepy head."

Pan's eyes opened groggily. "Wow. You're done already?"

Goten shook his head. "I sure hope you got at least some of the things I said. I pretty much went over the entire test."

Pan waved him away absently. "Yeah right. Like this test is gonna be the end of my high school career. Even if I do fail, I'll have plenty of time to bring up my grade."

"Yeah, but your father's not gonna be happy about seeing an F on your test," Goten reminded her. "At Parents' Night, we have to show parents how their children are progressing."

Pan frowned. "Man, this sucks!"

Parents' Night? Why hadn't Bra heard anything about that before? Maybe she would have put forth more of an effort to learn this stuff.

"That's why after I give back the tests, I want all of the students to get them signed by their parents," Goten added with a smile.

The half Saiyan seemed pretty proud of himself. Was he trying to get her killed? Her father probably wouldn't care, but her mother would gather and throw a fit. Especially since she knows that Goten is 'tutoring' her after school. What was her elder look-alike going to say when she found out that Bra wasn't getting the quality education she thought she was getting? It would be a disaster. Or maybe she would just make her study more. Which inevitably meant more tutoring. Which meant more time with Goten. The worst case scenario would result in something she wanted anyway. There was no way she could lose here.

Pan thought for a moment. "I still get ice cream, right?"

--End Price I Pay--

--Hello. Here's another episode of the story that never ends. Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading it and thanks for the reviews.

--Of course, nothing's really happening except some ridiculous school oriented stuff, but maybe it'll all lead to something in the end. You'll never know unless you tune in for the next episode of The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret.


	29. Worst Case Scenario

The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret

--Worst Case Scenario--

Ah. Here it was. Friday afternoon. She had a feeling it was going to be a good day. It was the day of her first date AND their red-haired counselor had called in sick. Bra had crammed for her history test one hour before she took it. And when it was time to shine, she actually felt pretty good about it. Goten had asked the students to come back after school to get their tests. Who's thinking about picking up a test on a Friday afternoon? The only thing students were thinking about on a Friday was getting as far away from school as possible.

As she stood at her locker, Bra noticed several people walking in and out of Goten's classroom. It was a shock to her. She didn't think anyone would stick around long enough to pick up a test on a Friday. Well, she got a new surprise every day, now didn't she?

Pan came skipping over to Bra's locker. "Bra. I didn't get to talk to you this morning. Your head was buried so far in that history book, I thought you were gonna suffocate."

Bra just looked at her. Yes, she was still mad at Pan for persuading Goten into playing that horrid prank on her yesterday.

"How do you think you did on the test?" Pan asked cheerfully.

She didn't even notice that Bra was giving her the silent treatment. What good did it do to give someone the silent treatment when that person didn't even know you were doing it? None. Bra sighed. "I think I did pretty good."

Pan rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. What was I thinking? YOU'RE the one who has a tutor." She folded her arms across her chest and smiled. "I think I did pretty good too. Maybe I heard some of the stuff Uncle Goten was talking about in my sleep."

Bra closed her eyes and walked into the classroom. Pan followed. It appeared that they were the last students in line. The others had retrieved their tests and gone on to begin their weekend.

Goten looked up at the last two students, holding two test papers in his hands, one of which was folded. "It's nice to see you two finally made it."

He'd given Bra a strange look that she couldn't place for the life of her. Why was he looking at her like that? Was it a good look or a bad one? She couldn't be sure.

He approached them and gave Pan the unfolded test. "Good job, Pan."

Pan looked at the grade and laughed. "Yeah, I'm the best! I got a 76!"

Bra frowned. "And that's what you consider a good job? A 76?"

"Well, considering the amount of sleep she gets in class and during studying, I think she did great," Goten explained.

Pan grinned and gave them a victory sign.

"Here's your test, Bra," Goten said, handing over the folded test.

Bra raised an eyebrow. No 'good job' for her. Just a 'here's your test'. That wasn't very fair. She wanted a compliment too. She opened her test and looked at the grade for a long time. Hmmmm. This couldn't be right....

"Is this mine?" Bra asked.

Goten nodded.

"What'd you get?" Pan asked.

Bra looked at the test again. "I got a 52? Tell me this is some kind of joke."

Goten shook his head. "Sorry Bra. That's your grade. I can't say that I'm not disappointed."

It broke her heart to hear him say that. She'd disappointed her trainer, her teacher, her tutor, her love. And not only that, she had disappointed herself. How could she feel so good about something only to have it turn out so bad? How could she have failed something she actually put forth an effort to study? Well, it was at the last minute, but Bra never studied for anything in her entire life. And here she was studying a whole hour before the test, only to fail miserably.

Pan looked surprised for a while. Then she smiled. "Cool! I got a higher grade than Bra!"

Bra looked at Goten. "You're serious? This is really the grade I made?"

"You've asked that already and I told you that it is," Goten told her. "It isn't a joke." He walked over to his desk and pulled out another test. "Here's the answer key if you want to look at it." He handed her the test.

After careful analysis and comparison, Bra gave the answer key back to Goten. "Wow. I thought I'd do better than this."

"I thought you would too," Goten said. "Oh, yeah, don't forget to get those signed and bring them back Monday."

"Yes, sir!" Pan replied giddily.

Bra rolled her eyes.

"Listen, Bra. It'll be okay. You'll have time to recover. All you have to do is focus a little more," Goten suggested with a smile. "We'll get you back on the path to passing."

"Yeah, right. That's easy for YOU to say. YOU'RE the teacher," Bra told him. She folded her arms across her chest. "I've always passed everything. I don't know HOW to 'recover'."

"Then this is the perfect time for you to learn," Goten said. "Nothing like a little hands-on practice to prepare for college."

Pan gasped. "Are you saying that college is harder than this?"

Goten nodded. "It can be difficult at times, yes."

"Awwwwwwwwww," Pan whined. "I don't wanna go to college."

Bra turned her back to them. She knew that she couldn't fail at anything. Even in her old social studies classes she was able to pass with a B-. This was altogether different. She WAS failing. Failure wasn't even in her dictionary until the day she fought her father.... Of course. That had to be what caused this. Her father showed her what it was like to fail and now she was going to start failing at everything she tried. It was a nightmare. It was all just a bad dream. It had to be....

--at home--

She remember telling her mother this morning that she was having a test today. Maybe she wouldn't ask about it.

Bra walked through the front door and looked directly at her mother, who was sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of water. Just her luck. She'd actually have to see HER right after she found out that she was a failure.

"Hi, honey. How was your day?" Bulma asked. She stood and walked over to her daughter.

"Fine," Bra answered simply.

"So, how do you think you did on that test Goten gave today?" Bulma questioned.

"Fine," Bra murmured.

Bulma raised an eyebrow. "Everything's just 'fine' to you, isn't it?" She looked down at the papers Bra had in her hands. "What's that?"

Uh, oh. She was supposed to hide that thing in her backpack until she was ready to give it to her mother. It was the stupid history test. She'd flown all the way home with it in hand. How could she have been so dumb?

Before she could respond, Bulma had taken the test away from her and was already looking at it.

"This is your history test?" Bulma asked, flipping through the papers.

Bra folded her arms across her chest. How was this woman fast enough to retrieve papers from her without having super human powers?

"You failed your history test?" Bulma inquired.

Here comes the nagging.

"I cannot believe this, Bra! I set up for you to have a tutor and this is the best you can do?! I knew I should have gotten you a separate tutor from the start!" Bulma shouted. She threw the test down on the table by the door. "You're grounded until this grade improves!"

"What?!" Bra yelled. "But mom, I have a date this weekend!"

"Not anymore you don't! And don't you dare take that tone with me, young lady!" Bulma roared. "There will be no dates. No telephone. No tutoring with Goten. I'm going to find someone to tutor you at home. No leaving the grounds of Capsule Corp. unless you're going to school. And no visitors. No Pan. No Marron. And no Goten."

"I can't believe you're doing this! It's just a stupid 'F' on ONE stupid test!" Bra screamed, waving her arms about frantically.

Bulma laughed sardonically. "That's right. Now, it's just an 'F' on a test. Then there'll be an 'F' on two more tests. You're not going down that road, missy. Not if I have anything to do with it."

"Mom--" Bra began.

"There's no point in arguing this. Go to your room. You're grounded. Don't make me repeat myself again," Bulma said calmly.

Bra growled and hurried to her room. Her mother had never been mad at her before. Well, not this mad. She was always trying to shower the girl with too much love. Then again, she'd never had an 'F' before either. Who would have guessed that her mother would react that way? She wanted to punch a hole in the wall, but that wouldn't have done any good.

She sat on her bed and looked out the window. She may as well get used to this site. It would be all she'd see until her grade improved.

--The End--

--Okay. That was the end of Versus 2. I know what you're thinking. "How could this be the end?! You didn't warn us!" Well, that's right. I DIDN'T warn you. That's because I didn't know myself.

--Well, thanks for reading Versus 2: The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret. Thanks for the reviews. And thanks for all your support.

--Now that Versus 2 has come to an end, what's next? Versus 3, of course! There may be a delay on that story though. I'm not sure where I'm going with any of this, but as soon as I have even the slightest plan for even a little of it, I'll be writing again. In the meantime, keep one eye open. I just might do some other stories in between.


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